HR Newsletter – September 2020

Malaysia removes limit on hiring of foreign workers beyond the initial three sectors

According to the Human Resources Ministry announced on Thursday (14 August). Malaysia will lift an earlier limit on the hiring of foreign workers would be limited to the construction, agriculture, and plantation sectors in order to increase employment opportunity for local affected during this ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.  

As per Bernama Article, employer is compulsory to provide COVID-19 screenings as standard operating procedure (SOP) for any new hire for the foreigner worker in order to prevent the spread of the virus. 

RMCO extended until Dec 31

The Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) has been extended until 31 December 2020 with the extension of the RMCO period, enforcement action under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988, or Act 342, could still be taken said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

According to the report in the edge market, the Prime Minister said it included Government action to tighten the country's border controls, as well as making it compulsory for people returning from abroad and foreigners entering Malaysia to undergo a 14-day quarantine order at designated quarantine stations. He also supports the proposal of the Ministry of Health (MOH) to increase the compound rates for related offences to at least two or three times the current rates.

Extension EPF Contribution Payment Date

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is extending the date for employers to remit their mandatory contribution for the months of September 2020 until December 2020, from the 15th to the 30th of each month respectively, as a response to ease the burden of employers in light of the uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

                                               
Do you know? Hours of Work of a Child

No Child engaged in any employment shall be required or permitted:

a.  To work between the hours of 8 o’clock in the evening and 7 o’clock in the morning;

b.  To work for more than three (3) consecutives hours without a period of rest of at least thirty (30) minutes.

c.   To work for more than six (6) hours in a day or, if the child is attending school, for a period which together with the time he spends attending school, exceed seven (7) hours; or;

d.  To commence work on any day without having had a period of not less than fourteen consecutive hours free from work.

IMPORTANT REMINDER

The HRDF levy exemption will be lifted on 15^th September 2020.

Please note that the levy contribution will resume effective from September 2020 payroll