KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) has urged employers not to shortchange employees by using Covid-19 as a convenient excuse.
Congress secretary-general J. Solomon said there is an urgent need for employers and trade unions to cooperate and find amicable solutions to problems arising during the period.
He said a number of measures could be looked into easing employers predicament during the Covid-19 outbreak.
This includes employer’s reinforcing sick leave policies and encourage employees to stay home if they are feeling ill, to the extent that is feasible as well as look at flexibility of working from home.
Employers should also call for emergency meetings with trade unions, when situations demand such, to discuss ways and means to handle this epidemic as well as not resort to any arbitrary decisions, to minimise disharmony during this period, he adds.
“Employers should also ensure that employees are not refusing to interact with colleagues or customers because of their ethnicity. Such behaviour could lead to complaints about discrimination. All policies should be enforced in a uniform and consistent way”.
Solomon also advised employers at this time not to send their employees to China, or any other location affected by the coronavirus, unless absolutely essential.
He said employers with staff traveling to the affected areas, if necessary, should take steps that are appropriate considering all circumstances and on updates issued by the Health Ministry.
Solomon also called upon employers to consider limiting business travel to the affected areas for the time being and provide reasonable alternatives such as video conferencing during the duration of the coronavirus threat.
“By closely engaging with each other, no party will harbour any suspicious thoughts on actions taken at the workplace.
“This includes any action to quarantine, if necessary, which should not be seen as discriminatory but as a health initiative”.
Solomon also explained that under Section 15 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 1994, it is the duty of employers to provide a workplace for workers, which is free from recognised hazards, a workplace which is safe and without risks to health, among others.
To that end, he said employers should continue to monitor the development of the Covid-19 and analyse whether employees could be at actual risk of exposure.
He added that employers should take some basic steps to help prevent the spread of disease and keep employees healthy.
These includes educating employees on the signs and symptoms of the coronavirus and the precautions that can be taken to minimize the risk of contracting the virus.
In addition, Solomon said employers should also implement and/or evaluate workplace emergency response protocols.