Employees laid off since Jan 2019 entitled to EIS benefits, HR Minister clarifies

Malaysia's Human Resources Minister M. Kula Segaran has clarified that employees in the private sector who have been retrenched effective January 2019 will be entitled to benefits under the Employment Insurance System (EIS) Act.

This implies they will receive temporary financial assistance as well as assistance in finding new jobs.

As reported by Bernama, he made the clarification when winding up the debate on the Supply Bill 2020 for his ministry at the Dewan Rakyat.

"Through the EIS, workers who are laid off are entitled to temporary financial assistance, job seeking and placement, training programmes and so on, subject to eligibility under the Act," he said.

"The amount of job search allowance paid depends on the percentage of the average monthly assumption, that is 80% in the first month, 50% in the second, 40% in the third and fourth months, and 30% in the fifth and sixth months," he added, as reported by Bernama.

Additionally he cited that so far, the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) had helped nearly 90% of those who were laid off to find new jobs, i.e. 12,019 workers from January to September 2019.

Below is the post as shared by the Minister on Facebook: