one week oredi no come to office

 Soalan saya terima hari ini dari majikan.

Puan, i got one staff, one week oredi no come to office, no mc, no apply annual leave. What should I do? Staff already work for 5 years looo. Always take mc one. Always EL one..

Have you called the employee?
Call, no answer

Have you tried calling the employee emergency contacts?
No

Have you whatsapp message the employee?
No

Have you emailed the employee?
No

Have you sent show cause letter?
No

Sudah visit the employee’s house?
Belum..employer can go visit meehh..

How long miss sudah buat HR ya?
Sudah 18 tahun buat HR

HRians…you see how many ‘NO’ that i get from the HR in this case? Dan dia sudah 18 tahun kerja as HR (dia la kata). Betapa ignorant kan sikap dia. Jangan jadi macam tu ya.

Bila seorang employee goes AWOL, HR perlulah mengambil tindakan-tindakan dalam soalan saya sebelum membuat tindakan termination kerja terhadap pekerja tersebut atas sebab breach of contract (tidak hadir bertugas tanpa sebab munasabah adalah kesalahan serius). ‘Due inquiry’ bukanlah sekadar show cause dan DI, tetapi melibatkan tindakan dalam soalan-soalan diatas.

Mungkin pekerja itu memang benar-benar dalam masalah, atau memang pekerja itu telah AWOL. Oleh itu, menjadi tanggungjawab HR untuk gunakan segala cara yang mampu sebagai seorang majikan dalam melakukan penyiasatan sebelum terminate pekerja tersebut. Don’t go overboard. Jaga proffesionalisme sebagai HR. As long as your chechklist as HR is done, you don’t have to worry about unjust dismissal bagai. Last but not least, document every single thing that you do for each cases yang you lalui. This will save you later on.


Terima kasih sudi baca,

Makcik Labor 😘

12 Warning Letters & 10 Years of Service

 12 Warning Letters & 10 Years of Service – And You Think You Can Just Terminate Without Compensation? Boss, this isn’t your grandfather’s company.

Seorang "majikan" tanya saya baru-baru ini:
“Saya dah bagi 12 warning letters. Pekerja dah kerja 10 tahun. Saya nak buang dia sekarang tanpa pampasan dan tanpa notis.”

My response?
You need a crash course in labour law – and a reality check.

📌 Let’s break it down.
Di bawah Akta Kerja 1955, dan lebih penting, Akta Perhubungan Perusahaan 1967 (Seksyen 20), termination must be with just cause and excuse. Kalau tidak, ia adalah penamatan tidak sah (unlawful dismissal).
📎 Relevant Case Law:
Syarikat Kenderaan Melayu Kelantan Bhd v Transport Workers Union [1995] 2 CLJ 748
➤ Mahkamah Persekutuan tekankan bahawa majikan mesti berikan peluang untuk membela diri dan jalankan due inquiry sebelum penamatan.
Goon Kwee Phoy v J & P Coats (M) Bhd [1981] 2 MLJ 129
➤ Hanya bukti yang wujud semasa penamatan boleh digunakan. You cannot terminate first, then try to justify later.
Hong Leong Equipment Sdn Bhd v Liew Fook Chuan [1996] 1 MLJ 481
➤ Mahkamah menyatakan dengan jelas bahawa pekerja tetap yang ditamatkan tanpa sebab munasabah berhak untuk pampasan atau pengembalian kerja (reinstatement).

📌 Warning letters ≠ Licence to fire.
Kalau tak ada domestic inquiry, tak ada prosedur keadilan, dan tiada bukti kukuh, maka termination itu boleh dicabar – dan pekerja boleh menang.
🧨 You don’t just throw away someone after 10 years like expired stock.
You don’t deny them what’s rightfully theirs and expect no consequences.

✅ Kalau misconduct? Prove it.
✅ Kalau incompetence? Document it properly.
✅ Kalau redundancy? Follow retrenchment guidelines & pay termination benefits as per Regulation 6, Employment (Termination and Lay-Off Benefits) Regulations 1980.

Otherwise, don’t call yourself a leader. You’re just another employer misusing power.
Stop hiding behind your title. Start understanding your responsibilities.

Thank you for reading.

Faithfully,

Makcik Labor 😊

Since the weekend is around the corner

Since the weekend is around the corner, here are spicy precedent sexual harassment cases in Malaysia every HR pro must know:

1. Mohd Ridzwan v. Asmah [2016] 6 CLJ 346
Boss offered to make her his second wife—got sued and paid RM120K. First recognition of sexual harassment as a tort!

2. Jennico v. Lilian [1998] 3 CLJ 583
Hotel CEO harassed director—she quit, sued for constructive dismissal. Sparked the first national sexual harassment code.

3. Loganathan v. Murphy Oil [2020] 2 ILR 275
Calling colleague “sayang” + unwanted touches? Dismissal upheld. Verbal = harassment too.

4. Vasuthevan v. Freescale [2013] 1 ILR 73
Hand on waist = out the door. Zero tolerance for “just one touch.”

5. Chen Beng Kwee v. ST Micro [2012] 6 CLJ 865
Tapped a Muslim girl’s elbow—court said: still harassment. Respect personal and religious boundaries.

6. Yahya v. Petronas [2015] 2 MELR 614
Texted “nafsu lelaki”… got fired. Words can cost careers.

7. Kamarul Zaman v. Nippon [2013] MELRU 1
Said “come sit here” while patting his lap. Dismissal upheld.

8. Yes—men get harassed too.
In 2023, 135 male victims reported. Sexual harassment isn’t gendered—policies must protect all.

HR folks—don’t wait till it’s in court. Act early, act firm. Culture starts with you.

Happy reading and enjoy your weekend ya!

Faithfully,

Makcik Labor ☺️