NEWS ASIA
SINGAPORE
EMPLOYERS IN SINGAPORE URGED TO ADOPT HYBRID WORKING ARRANGEMENTS SINGAPORE’S EDUCATION MINISTER, and COVID-19 taskforce co-chair Lawrence Wong has described a total work-from-home (WFH) arrangement as “not doable” While Singapore is retaining a high degree of WFH because of the pandemic, Wong said there is a need for employees to have some physical presence and face-to-face meetings in the future. He also urged employers in Singapore to adopt more flexible, hybrid working arrangements even as the country continues to step up its COVID-19 vaccination drive.
JAPAN
JAPAN REVISES PATERNITY LEAVE THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT has drafted a law revision to the country’s regulation on paternity leave to encourage more men to take leave for the birth of their child. Under the revised draft, male employees would be able to take four weeks of leave within eight weeks from the birth of their child. The revised bill by the government would require companies to have their employees informed about the measures. Large corporations will also have to publicise how many of their staff take paternity leave.
NEW ZEALAND
NEW ZEALAND’S UNION CALLS FOR SICK LEAVE FOR NEW EMPLOYEES NEW ZEALAND’S COUNCIL of Trade Unions (CTU) is pushing for the removal of the rule that workers must be employed for six months before getting sick leave. CTU secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges said employees need to be able to access sick leave no matter how long they have been working on the job. In addition, CTU has proposed to increase the number of sick leave entitlements from the current five days to 10 days to the Education and Workforce committee.
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HRM ASIA.COM
FEBRUARY-MARCH 2021
