Recent HR News and Updates for May 2022 | QuickHR HRMS
Posted on 30 May 2022 in Business | Anna Beatrice
Let’s take a look at Singapore’s top HR news, updates and insights for May.
MOM Updates Work and Leave Arrangements for COVID-Hit Employees
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) stated that employees who test positive for COVID-19 should immediately inform their employer and begin self-isolation. They should also not report to the workplace.
Those who are physically well may be allowed to work from home (WFH) if they can do so. However, if remote work is not possible, employers should treat the period of absence as sick leave without requiring a medical certificate (MC).
In addition, MOM reminded the employers that negative self-administered antigen rapid tests should be enough proof to allow an employee back to the workplace. There is no need for a recovery memo from the infected employee.
Read On$70.8 Million Lost in Singapore Due to Business Email Scams
The Singapore Police Force has revealed that at least $70.8 million are lost from organisations due to business email compromise scams. The perpetrators would impersonate the victims' business partners, employees, or colleagues via spoofed emails or hacked email accounts.
The scammers would then inform their victims of a change in their companies' bank account number and would ask them to transfer payments to other bank accounts. The spoofed email addresses often include slight misspellings or replacement of letters, which may not be obvious at first glance, according to the police.
The police force strongly advised the employees to inform and educate their staff to avoid being victimised. Especially those who are responsible for making fund transfers, such as those engaged in purchasing or HR payroll.
Read OnMOM Warns of Fake E-mail Asking Workers to Declare Their Salaries Have Been Paid
MOM has issued a scam alert over a fake e-mail that has been circulating, which appears to be sent from its Labour Relations and Workplaces Division, and is attached with a zip file of a form for recipients to declare they have received their salary from their employer.
The scam e-mail claims that the ministry requires all employers to submit a monthly declaration to ensure all workers are paid their salary on time. MOM said this is a scam, and that it does not send e-mails with zip file attachments.
Members of the public are advised to immediately submit a police report if they have been affected by this scam.
Read OnWhy Cybersecurity Isn’t Just Tech’s Problem – It’s HR’s
According to a managing director from Sekuro, a cybersecurity and digital resiliency solutions provider, humans are considered the weakest link and the largest attack surface. Therefore, organisations need to ensure that HR teams are providing employees with the right knowledge and tools to minimise risks.
It is also strongly encouraged to include the HR professionals as the decision-makers on what software tools the company should purchase to ensure smarter and more secure operations. This involves investing in a multi-encrypted HR software solution that is certified with the highest level of security standards including Multi-Tiered Cloud Security Standard MTCS SS584:2020 and ISO 27001:2013.
Read OnNJ Talent Firm Exposed Thousands of Resumes, Detailing Immigration Statuses and Security Clearances
A New Jersey talent acquisition firm exposed the resumes and personal information of at least 30,000 prospective workers by leaving a database on the internet without a password, allowing anyone to search the database from a web browser.
The database contains employees’ personal information including detailed work histories, home addresses, phone numbers, etc. In many cases, resumes also revealed candidates' immigration statuses and security clearances. The database remained online for more than two weeks since it was exposed.
With the rising cases of data breaches, it is crucial to invest in fully secure software solutions that comply with the best and highest cloud security standards to prevent any unwanted access to all confidential data of an organisation.
Read OnWorkplace Deaths Tally for 2022 Rises to 24 after Man Falls 9.5M through Skylight
A 49-year-old man died in a workplace accident last week after he fell through a skylight and landed 9.5m below on the factory floor.
According to MOM, as a general safety measure, every means by which a worker may fall from height should be identified and guarded or covered. In addition, workers should be equipped with safety equipment to prevent falls.
The ministry urges employers to ensure proper schedules for works carried out by different groups of workers within the same work area. There should also be safe work procedures in place to prevent dismantled objects from falling.
Read On‘Inadequate’ Family Benefits Are Driving Employees Out
A new report from Maven Clinic revealed that 60% of employees have left or considered leaving a job because of inadequate family benefits. The report also showed the types of benefits that employees really ask for. These include fertility benefits, adoption or surrogacy benefits, preconception and family planning care, caregiver leave, and virtual family care.
Employers are urged to provide comprehensive family benefits to ensure better employee performance, higher retention rates, and a brighter future for the company.
Read OnEnjoying this article? Subscribe now and never miss out on future content.
