WFH expected to continue: MEF urges government to increase incentives for employers, workers

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) has urged the government to consider additional incentives for employers and employees.

Its Executive Director, Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan, said after the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), MEF expects the Conditional MCO (CMCO) to be enforced.

He said the directive to limit the number of employees in the office is expected to be extended, thus forcing employers to continue the concept of working from home (WFH).

“Actually, the need to work from home mostly depends on the equipment provided by the employees themselves and not provided by the employer.

"I hope the government can provide incentives that employers who provide equipment and internet services in workers' homes are given certain tax incentives so that it can alleviate some of the burden borne by employees who have to work from home.

"The MEF also hopes that the government can consider providing incentives so that workers can provide a specific workspace at home.

“This will enable that employees to take care of their health when working at home," he said when contacted by Astro AWANI on Saturday.

He was commenting on a statement by the Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, yesterday stating that 13 of the 14 new COVID-19 clusters detected on Friday involved infections at workplace.

Commenting further, Shamsuddin said MEF had voiced the proposed incentive to the government through the Ministry of Finance but no further discussions have taken place.

"We have not discussed directly with the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) at this time.

"In the near future, I think the MEF can discuss the matter further with the MTUC so that we can together succeed in the work from home program which is one of the new norms that arise from the COVID-19 pandemic," he said.

Previously, a survey by online consumer research firm Vase.ai found that 77 per cent of the 1,100 respondents admitted to having difficulty working from home.

35 per cent said the instability of internet connection was among the challenges faced while working from home.