Indonesia permits contract adjustments in key sectors
Indonesia’s Minister of Manpower has a new level of flexibility to working contracts in some specific export-oriented industries. The new regulation aims to address work and business continuity challenges arising from weakening global demand. Companies must meet a specific set of criteria, and then also reach a mutual agreement with their labor union to qualify. […]
Vietnam tackles pension problem for employees owed social insurance
Vietnam Social Insurance has submitted proposals to address the rising number of cases of social insurance contributions not being paid by businesses. By the end of 2022, debts from bankrupt or dissolved enterprises reached USD 171 million , impacting nearly 213,000 employees and their households. In response, Vietnam Social Insurance has proposed two methods for […]
Singapore raises medical insurance claim limit for migrant workers
Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced that the annual claim limit for minimum medical insurance provided to migrant workers will be increased starting in July. Employers of Work Permit holders must currently provide medical insurance with an annual claim limit of $15,000. This will rise to $60,000 for policies starting on or after July 1, […]
Delivery riders in Thailand demand equal benefits amid work hazards
Independent food delivery riders in Thailand are urging the government to grant them employee benefits similar to those in other sectors. The riders say they face significant work hazards, including harassment and road accidents, but lack adequate support from their employers. Classified as “partners”, not “employees”, they don’t receive typical benefits including health and vehicle […]
Indonesian HR leaders prioritising talent and wellbeing: Mercer research
HR leaders in Indonesia are focusing on creating human-centric work experiences as their key priorities for the year ahead. This is according to the Mercer Global Talent Trends study, which was released recently. It found that Indonesian HR leaders were looking at redesigning talent processes around skills (62% of those surveyed indicated this was a […]
Malaysia extends paid maternity leave to 98 days
Malaysia has recently increased compulsory paid maternity leave from 60 to 98 days, aiming to draw women back into the workforce. The amended Employment Act 2022, which took effect in January, was celebrated by labour and women’s rights groups, but raised concerns among some employers about the potential for increased operating costs. The Malaysian Employers […]
Vietnam to increase health insurance contributions from July
Vietnam’s base salaries and minimum wages will rise by 20% from VND 1.5 million (USD 65) per month to 1.8 million (USD 77) per month, starting July 1. Though much of that rise will be taken up by increased health insurance contributions. The increase was finally approved in November 2022, having been originally planned for […]
HR Tech Update: How to keep payroll staff from drowning in administration work
The payroll function across Southeast Asia, and the world, is drowning in low-level administration tasks, according to a new report from workforce management software provider, Automatic Data Processing (ADP). It found that more than 22% of global payroll teams are spending over 30 hours per week reconciling data between payroll and HR systems. According to […]
Five things HR leaders should know about menstrual leave
CHIEF OF STAFF FIVE: Menstrual leave has gained increased attention recently, and more organisations around the world are starting to offer this specific paid time off to female employees. Is this needed in Southeast Asia also? And what are the potential benefits and costs to an organisation looking to offer it as part of their […]
Five unexpected benefits of a four-day working week
CHIEF OF STAFF FIVE: The idea of a four-day workweek is not entirely new as many companies have been implementing this policy even before the Covid-19 pandemic. But as employers try to create a better employee experience in response to higher demand for work-life balance, a four-day workweek is one of the solutions at hand. […]
