Malaysia proposes amending Employment Act
The human resources minister has tabled for the first reading a Bill to amend the Employment Act to insert a new section on paternity leave in Parliament.
Japan looks into distributing wage profits
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had vowed earlier to draw up an economic package worth “tens of trillions of yen” to revive the economy.
113,000 workers in Singapore still unvaccinated
About 113,000 working people remain unvaccinated in the country, out of which only a small portion are not medically fit for the COVID-19 vaccination.
Mandatory vaccination urged for frontline workers in the Philippines
The labour department will be studying a proposal that mandates COVID-19 vaccination for frontline workers.
Taiwan’s unemployment rate falls to 3.96% in September
As locally transmitted cases of COVID-19 have been brought under control, the employment rate fell for a third consecutive month in September.
Rise in minimum wage could derail Malaysia’s economic recovery: MEF
Labour productivity also registered a fall of 16% in 2020, following a reduction in workforce numbers, notes the Malaysian Employers Federation.
HR relooked in a new world of work
HRM Asia’s CHRO Online Series 2021 will kick off on October 28 with CHRO Indonesia discussing how the role of HR continues to evolve in a new world of work.
Eateries, spas cannot sack unvaccinated staff in the Philippines
Businesses offering dine-in and in-person services cannot fire staff or withhold the salaries of those who are not vaccinated.
Unvaccinated workers not allowed back to the workplace in Singapore
From January 1 next year, only those who are vaccinated will be allowed back to the workplace, or if they have tested negative for COVID-19.
Hong Kong’s unemployment rate falls to 4.5%
The jobless rate in Hong Kong fell from 4.7% in the June-August period to 4.5% in the July-September quarter, the lowest since the first quarter last year.
Digital transformation key for Malaysia’s economic recovery
Malaysia aims for the digital economy to contribute 22.6% to its gross domestic product and create 500,000 new jobs by 2025.
India mulls reclassifying gig workers as employees
Gig and platform workers may be reclassified as employees in a major government policy move amid a changing employment landscape.
Workers in the Philippines may receive lower 13th month pay
Due to tighter pandemic-led restrictions, many businesses were forced to temporarily retrench or cut the work days of their staff.
Thailand approves 37 billion baht in subsidies for SMEs
To help SMEs retain employees, the Thai Cabinet has approved a 37-billion-baht (US$1.1 billion) subsidy programme that will help pay for salaries.
Singapore rolls out S$640 million support package for businesses
Businesses in select sectors significantly affected by tightened COVID-19 measures will receive a 25% wage support under the Jobs Support Scheme.
Malaysia’s civil servants told to get vaccinated or face dismissal
The Public Service Department (JPA) is mandating all medically fit civil servants to get the jab against COVID-19 or face the sack.
Wage growth in Australia unlikely despite labour shortage
The Reserve Bank of Australia noted that in sectors where wage growth was observed, it was largely due to earlier implemented wage cuts that were reversed.
More South Korean women prefer to work virtually
An online survey of 4,476 employees shows that a much higher proportion of women than men prefer to work remotely than at a physical office location.
‘No vaccine, no pay’ practice declared unlawful in the Philippines
Some workers have said that they were not paid their salaries as they were required to first present proof of vaccination.
Adapting to the work and the workforce of tomorrow
HRM Asia’s CHRO Online Series 2021 will kick off on October 28 with CHRO Indonesia discussing how HR is taking the lead in shaping the future of work.
S$13 million recovered in employee claims in Singapore
Employees who made claims for salary arrears and compensation for wrongful dismissal in the last financial year recovered S$13 million.
Malaysia offers over 275,000 jobs on its public jobs portal
The portal is able to match jobseekers accurately to respective roles, based on their academic qualifications, experience and skills.
China’s urban unemployment rate fell marginally in September
Data showed that the country’s surveyed urban unemployment rate fell 0.5 percentage point to 4.9% in September year-on-year.
Some 40,000 small businesses in New Zealand go digital
The Digital Boost programme is a free training programme that has helped 40,000 small businesses improve their digital skills.
Taiwan ranks 4th globally in number of working hours
Workers in Taiwan worked more hours than those in other countries in the world last year except for three other countries, according to the Ministry of Labour.
Applications for Malaysia’s wage subsidies total RM$12.95 billion
A total of RM$84.2 million has also been channelled to 13,884 businesses in the form of grants and loans for subscriptions to digitalisation services.
Australia’s Labour Party proposes more rights for part-time workers
To help workers, especially women, balance family and employment responsibilities, Labour has urged for a review of the “erosion” of part-time work.
Why it is time to build a new, improved deskless reality
Josh Bersin details the critical components to consider when designing deskless work strategies and the employee experience for deskless workers.
Singapore sets up job opportunities in HR for workers with disabilities
The programme will commence in the first quarter of next year, and will support up to 30 training and job opportunities.
Malaysia’s banking industry continues support for borrowers
The Financial Management & Resilience Programme (URUS) has been launched for individual borrowers who continue to be affected by the pandemic.