Bosses won't let you WFH? Write 'em up with govt's Working for Workers app

PUTRAJAYA: Employees may now lodge complaints against bosses who do not allow them to work from home via the newly-launched application Working for Workers.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said this new category of complaint that is available on the application was created following the government’s announcement that 40% of workers in the private sector are to work from home with effect from Tuesday (May 25) to reduce Covid-19 infections.

“Workers who are forced by their employers to be present at the office are urged to lodge reports via the application so that the matter can be investigated and action can be taken, ” he said on Monday (May 24).

Saravanan said that up to 9am on Monday, the ministry had received nine complaints about employers who did not allow their employees to work from home, and all the reports are being investigated.

“The findings will be referred to the International Trade and Industry Ministry or the Health Ministry to determine if there are violations of standard operating procedure or the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act, ” he said.

He added that the new category was made available on the application to limit movement and the need for workers to be physically present at labour offices to lodge their complaints.

On May 22, in announcing tighter SOP during the current movement control order (MCO), the government decided that 80% of public sector staff and 40% of private sector employees are to work from home as one of the strategies to flatten the Covid-19 curve.

Launched on May 3, the Working for Workers application is a platform available to 15.7 million workers, including foreign workers, to submit complaints related to labour issues.

It is a medium to ensure that the rights and welfare of workers affected by employers’ misconduct are protected.

There are now 17 categories of complaints in the application.

Saravanan also gave his assurance that the identity of the complainants would be kept confidential, and that complaints received via the application would be addressed within three to seven days.

As of May 23,178 complaints have been received through the application, 105 of them by Malaysians and the rest by foreign workers.

Kuala Lumpur recorded the highest number of complaints with 75, followed by Selangor (44) and Johor (21).

Saravanan said among the issues raised by complainants were late and non-payment of salaries, termination without notice, and not providing workers with employment contracts.