MTUC: Bosses must equip staff for WFH

PETALING JAYA: Employers must provide employees with equipment and Internet connection if workers are to comply with the “work from home” (WFH) order, says Malaysian Trades Union Congress president Datuk Abdul Halim Mansor.

While he is supportive of the concept, Abdul Halim said one area which must be looked at is employers’ responsibility to equip the affected employees, including with hi-speed Internet connection.

He said existing social and labour laws should continue to protect employees who work from home.

“Employers should not take advantage of their WFH employees by getting them to work the entire day as they are entitled to work breaks, ” he said when contacted yesterday.

Likewise, he noted that employees working from home dedicate a space in their homes to work while making sure that the cameras on their devices are switched on to allow for supervision.

“The WFH concept must be accepted as part of the new norm by both employers and employees as it will benefit both parties and is now being practised in developed countries, ” he said.

Among the benefits, said Abdul Halim, is that professionals who were forced to quit their jobs to look after their young children at home may now be able to seek re-employment if given the opportunity.

He said companies would be able to make indirect savings through WFH as they need not spend on physical expansions at their offices.

Abdul Halim suggested that MTUC and relevant labour bodies meet to discuss amendments to streamline current social and labour laws with the growing WFH trend.

He was responding to the WFH order announced by Senior Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Tuesday, which is to start today in Selangor, Sabah, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan and last until the conditional movement control order is eased in the bid to curb Covid-19 transmission.

He said those affected would be mainly those employed in the management and supervisory posts.

This decision will involve 800,000 workers in various industries as well as close to 200,000 civil servants.