Greater clarity urged for flexi-work terms in Malaysia

The Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on the government for greater clarity on its decision to allow flexible working arrangements from September 1.

The government should have given more thought and carried out an in-depth study before implementing the idea, it said, reports Free Malaysia Today.

“We have a lot of multinational corporations who are already practising flexible working arrangements. However, we are wary of the [potential] abuse by employees who may try to hack the system,” said the group’s executive director, Shaun Cheah.

“If an employer rejects an employee’s application due to a prior history of disciplinary problems, can the employee use the rejection in the labour court as the basis for an action of constructive dismissal?”, Cheah questioned.

Malaysia recently announced that workers could apply for flexible working arrangements with their companies from September 1, when amendments to the Employment Act take effect.

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Under the law, written applications can be made for changes in working hours, work days or places of work, and employers must respond within 60 days and provide reasons if an application is rejected.