HR Clinic by Dr. Lum

01/10/2017

Will be conducting a small-group intellectual stimulation for Senior HR Practitioners... to explore the legal loopholes within the Employment Act 1955.

To register, please contact my PA, Lee Peng, at Email: [email protected] or Tel. 016-686 6232. Thanks.

30/07/2017

Just published my book. Autograph, anyone?

Cover closeup... http://drlum.blogspot.my/2017/07/simplifying-employment-act-1955.html

To order the book, please contact Ms. Yeoh Lee Peng at:Email: [email protected]: +6016-6866232And provide the following information:Your full name.Email address.Mobile phone.Mailing address you wish the book to be sent to.

30/04/2017

While many Human Resources practitioners encountered by me claimed that they know the Employment Act 1955, my eventual conversations with them on the subject revealed some very disappointing findings. Many of them do not even know the definitions of “employees” and “wages” provided by the Act, and many more, and yet they claimed they know the Employment Act 1955 well. Their jaws dropped when they heard me saying “strange” things about the Act, and their eyes popped out, disbelieving what they saw when I showed them the relevant Sections of the Act supporting the “strange” things I said to them earlier.

I am not just talking about junior HR practitioners; I am talking about some very senior and experienced HR practitioners, even at Directors level. Their bosses and colleagues must not find out about their ignorance as they continue their masquerade. They cannot ask to be trained on the subject matter as they cannot afford to expose their own weakness. Thus, they are trapped in a vicious cycle by their very own pride and ego. Self-admission and re-learning are the only ways out.

Sound, very sound, knowledge of the Employment Act 1955 is a fundamental requirement of any self-respecting HR practitioner in Malaysia; without which, it is akin to driving a bus on the road, loaded with passengers, and without knowing the applicable rules.

What say you?

29/04/2017

If you want to drink milk, you don’t need to buy a cow. Nothing is worse than to find out later that your cow is sick, unproductive, or even a bull in disguise.

Let’s relate the above simile to the gig economy. The gig economy refers to a situation where workers are readily available on-demand, both in numbers and skills; and they come with no liabilities, and no strings attached. They get in, get the job done, get paid, and get out. With much repetition and exposures, they eventually become experts in what they do; and they cost so much lesser.

That’s exactly how I describe the services I offer to my clients over the past 27 years, i.e. managing people, managing very difficult people under very difficult circumstances, using the laws and industrial psychology, with lots of good common sense, and in good faith.

Now, let’s figure out how you can drink the milk for free. Let me know if you have the answer.

18/04/2017

Clients (employers) used to complain to me about the frequency of their employees going on sick leaves, and how they doubted the genuineness of medical certificates (MCs) issued by some medical practitioners.

One available option is to lodge a police report if there is element of cheating. Dealing with fake MCs is also a form of graft. The employees involved can be summarily dismissed, after due inquiry.

My advice to all employees out there… it is not worthwhile dealing with fake MCs; it is absolutely foolish!

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/04/18/cops-bust-fake-mc-syndicate/

IPOH: Police have arrested a 33-year-old woman and smashed a syndicate forging and selling medical certificates (MCs) in Slim River.

15/04/2017

It is common for my clients (employers and employees alike) to greet me this way… “Doc, we have a problem”. I will cheekily respond to them, “When you cannot find me, that is a problem. Now, what is your situation?”

Upon hearing my respond, my clients will laugh, their stress level lowered. I’ve just removed their problems. Now, they only have situations.

Next, I will prompt them to explain their situations to me. Upon hearing their stories, I will usually tell them, “Your situation is very easy to solve”. Whenever I say that, I can see the relief on their faces.

As one of my learned client (a retired scholar from Cambridge University) once said to me, “Dr. Lum, you do have the ability to make complicated issues sound so simple. Brilliant!” I smiled and replied, “Well, that’s part of my charm.”

11/04/2017

“Don’t know.” “Don’t understand.” “Not sure.” That’s the exact words employers will say when they get caught by the authorities.

Today, an unidentified caller called my office and asked me about SOCSO contribution, specifically, its implications for failure to contribute, exemptions for a certain class of employees, etc. Apparently, one of her workers was injured at the workplace, and she failed to register/contribute to SOCSO, citing some foolish excuses. To me, it is plain ignorance of the law, and such ignorance excuses no one.

As she is not my client and has indicated her unwillingness to pay my fees, I could only wish her luck, and politely ended the conversation. She rather takes her chances than to pay a small fee for some sound advices.

The story doesn’t end here. There are a lot of other employers out there who are equally foolish, if not worst. They seek wrong advice from unqualified individuals, continue to be ignorant, and feel blissful about it. Such ignorance could cost them thousands of ringgit in fines. Clearly, ignorance doesn’t come cheap!

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/04/11/socso-not-accepting-excuses-from-errant-bosses/

KUALA LUMPUR: “Don’t know.” “Don’t understand.” “Not sure.”

08/04/2017

Solved 3 different cases for 3 different corporate clients this week.

The first case involved an employee who was arrested by the police on drug related offence. The second case involved a probationer who caused substantial damage to the company’s property and lied about it. And the third case involved a serious breach of trust by an employee.

As usual, my clients’ instruction to me is two-fold – they don’t want the employee to work for them anymore, and they don’t want any adverse repercussion at the Industrial Relations Department or the Labour Department.

I helped my clients strategise their moves, set timelines, anticipated employees’ probable reactions, and guided them through. My constant reminder to my clients as they execute the plan… “Be gentle with your employees.”

By the end of the week, I received my clients’ feedbacks… mission accomplished!

https://www.facebook.com/MalaysianLabourLaws

We provide advisory services to both employers and employees in Malaysia to solve any employment rel

07/04/2017

If you have an impending case at the Industrial Relations Department or the Labour Department, would you like to know its strengths and weaknesses?

By knowing that you have a strong case, you can approach it boldly. On the other hand, by knowing that your case is hopelessly weak, you can choose to adopt alternative settlement options, and not simply pursue a losing case.

At HR Clinic by Dr. Lum, we are able to evaluate your case and provide you with an honest second opinion... and for RM300, why not?

For more information, please contact Ms. Yeoh Lee Peng at Tel: 016-686 6232 or Email: [email protected].

We provide advisory services to both employers and employees in Malaysia to solve any employment rel

05/04/2017

To all employers out there, please don’t worry about the compulsion and the penalty. There are ways to go about it without being fined.

I will talk about them in my coming public seminar entitled “Employment Act 1955 – Exploring Its Legal Loopholes” on 20th & 21st April 2017. Until then, I shall reserve my comment.

http://says.com/my/news/employers-may-be-fined-rm10-000-if-they-don-t-grant-leave-on-24-april

To mark the installation of Sultan Muhammad V from Kelantan as Malaysia’s 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong, 24 April 2017 has been declared as a public holiday under the Public Holidays Act 1951.

04/04/2017

I will be conducting a 2-day seminar entitled “Employment Act 1955 – Exploring Its Legal Loopholes” on:

- 20th & 21st April 2017 at Eminentz Grez's Training Centre @ Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, Cheras; and,

- 4th & 5th May 2017 at G-Hotel Kelawai Penang.

In this seminar, I will show employers how to make use of the many loopholes found within the Employment Act 1955 to help them reduce their labour costs, fulfill challenging operational requirements, manage employees’ behaviour, while complying with the Act and its Regulations.

The way I conduct my seminar... relax, interactive, informal, fun, lots of laughter, and story-telling. At the end of the seminar, you will almost master the Employment Act 1955.

The seminar fee is 100% HRDF claimable.

For more information, please message me. Thanks.

https://www.facebook.com/MalaysianLabourLaws/

We provide advisory services to both employers and employees in Malaysia to solve any employment rel

03/04/2017

As the public holiday so declared on 24th April 2017 is declared under Section 8 of the Holidays Act 1951, it shall be recognized as a paid holiday as per Section 60D(1)(b) of the Employment Act 1955. As such, every employee shall be entitled to a paid holiday on that day… and yes, it is applicable to the private sector too.

However, by virtue of the second proviso of Section 60D(1A) of the Employment Act 1955, if an employee is required by his employer to work on that day, the employer may grant the employee any other day as a paid public holiday in substitution for the holiday so declared on 24th April 2107.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for some), the Employment Act 1955 is only applicable to "employees" as defined by the First Schedule of the Act. So, not all employees outside the scope of the Employment Act 1955 will get to enjoy this public holiday, unless their contract of service provides so.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/04/03/april-24-holiday-for-king-installation/

PETALING JAYA: April 24 has been declared a public holiday to celebrate the installation of Sultan Muhammad V as the 15th Yang di-Pertuan Agong.