Industry Pulse

The claim stage is where HR strategy meets financial reality. Avoid common pitfalls and ensure your grant reimbursements are processed smoothly by staying aligned with the latest HRD Corp claim protocols.

Grant compliance isn't just about paperwork; it's about safeguarding your department’s credibility. Ensure your HR department remains in good standing with HRD Corp through diligent grant application and audit practices.

As HR leaders, you are tasked with future-proofing your workforce. HRDC’s "Focus Area" courses are your most powerful tool to incentivize high-level technical and strategic training at a lower net cost.

Does your HR team use third-party payroll or cloud-based benefits platforms? Under the PDPA, if you are a "data user," you are accountable for how your "data processors" handle employee information.

The PDPA classifies health records, political opinions, and religious beliefs as "sensitive personal data." For HR, this means a much higher standard of protection is required under Section 40.

If your HR department holds, uses, or controls employee records, you are a "Data User" under the PDPA. Understanding this legal identity is the first step toward avoiding severe penalties.

Disputes are an inevitable part of business. The Industrial Relations Act 1967 encourages negotiation, but poor communication often turns minor differences into major trade disputes.

Terminating an employee for misconduct is one of the highest-risk activities for a manager. The Employment Act 1955 requires a "Due Inquiry" before any punishment—like dismissal or downgrading—can be legally enforced.

The OSH Act 1994, as updated in 2024, shifts the responsibility for safety from a single individual to every level of management. If you are a department head, safety is now a core performance indicator.

Building a dedicated learning space is now more accessible than ever. The enhanced ALAT scheme allows you to utilize your HRDC levy to renovate training rooms and purchase essential training equipment.

The Future Workers Training (FWT) scheme is your strategic "train-to-hire" solution. It enables you to equip potential candidates with exact job-ready skills before they officially join your payroll.

HRD Corp has overhauled the Industrial Training Scheme (ITS), increasing levy allocation to 50% and extending internship durations to 12 months. It's the perfect time to build your future talent pipeline.

When trade disputes arise, the Industrial Relations Act 1967 favors settlement through conciliation over litigation. Part V of the Act sets the stage for the Director General to act as a mediator.

To ensure safety standards are maintained, the OSH Act 1994 grants authorized officers extensive powers to enter and inspect places of work. Understanding these powers is crucial for both employers and employees to ensure compliance.

Part IV of the Employment Act 1955 establishes strict regulations on how and when an employer can deduct money from an employee’s wages. Transparency in payroll is a legal requirement for all employers.

On-the-Job Training (OJT) is essential for bridging the gap between theory and practice. This scheme allows skilled supervisors to pass on technical knowledge directly to new hires on the factory floor or in the office.

E-learning is no longer a stopgap measure; it is a permanent fixture in modern corporate training. The latest ACM guidelines have standardized the claiming process for e-learning, making it highly predictable for employers.

Professional Certification remains one of the most effective ways to validate workforce expertise. With the updated ACM terms, HRD Corp provides a streamlined path for employers to claim costs for recognized certification programs.

The 2024 amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 clarify that safety responsibility is not limited to direct employees. Section 18A introduces a significant "duty of care" for principals toward contractors.

The Employment Act 1955 provides robust protections for female employees, ensuring that pregnancy and motherhood do not jeopardize their employment security or financial stability.

The Future Workers Training (FWT) scheme provides a strategic way for employers to train potential candidates before they officially join the payroll...

HRD Corp has significantly expanded the support for internships through the Industrial Training Scheme (ITS). Employers can now utilize a much larger portion of their levy...

Occupational safety in Malaysia begins long before a machine reaches the factory floor. The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994...

To protect the public interest, the Industrial Relations Act 1967 imposes strict limitations on industrial actions within "Essential Services."...

The Employment Act 1955 includes rigorous provisions under Part XVA to address sexual harassment in the workplace. These laws apply to all...

A key highlight of the 2024 amendments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 is the expansion of safety oversight to smaller workplaces...

The Industrial Relations Act 1967 was recently updated to address the complexities of having multiple trade unions within a single workplace. The introduction...

The landscape of work in Malaysia underwent a formal shift with the introduction of Part XIIC in the Employment Act 1955. This new provision empowers employees...

The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) establishes a "duty of care" for everyone in the workplace. Recent comprehensive amendments (Act A1648)...

The Industrial Relations Act 1967 (Act 177) aims to promote and maintain industrial harmony in Malaysia. It regulates the relationship between employers,...

The Employment Act 1955 (Act 265) is the foundation of labor law in Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan. It sets the mandatory minimum benefits for employees, ensuring they are protected...

HRD Corp has overhauled the Training Facilities and Renovation Scheme (ALAT), making it easier for employers to build internal training capacity. The new terms offer...

To align with national goals, HRD Corp has prioritized "Focus Area" and "Industry-Specific" courses. These categories allow employers to claim training costs...

Starting November 1st, 2024, HRD Corp has introduced significant enhancements to the Allowable Cost Matrix (ACM). These changes are designed to provide greater flexibility and financial...

HRD Corp’s 2024–2025 updates to the Allowable Cost Matrix (ACM) expanded claimable rates, allowances, and training cat...

HRDF’s Online Training Guideline (Version 4.0) consolidates schemes supporting e-learning, mobile learning, and remote online tr...

HRD Corp Claimable Courses (HCC) is the main scheme that allows employers to retrain and upgrade ...

Even when costs fall within ACM ceilings, incomplete or incorrect supporting documents remain one of the ...

Employers can claim only one type of personal allowance for trainees — either meal allowance or trainee (travel) allowance...

One of the most important operational rules under the Allowable Cost Matrix is the 75% attendance requirement...

The ACM Guidebook provides a simple five-step process that employers and training providers should follow before submitting any grant or claim application...

The Allowable Cost Matrix treats trainers differently depending on whether they are internal company personnel, external local providers or trainers from abroad...

Focus Area and Industry-Specific courses receive preferential treatment in the Allowable Cost Matrix...

Local public programmes follow a simpler per-pax fee structure under the ACM, with clear ceilings for general courses and...

Overseas programmes remain claimable under the ACM, but they operate under tighter financial-assistance rules...

Employer Circular No. 3/2024 and the subsequent ACM revisions significantly raised claimable ceilings to better reflect current training costs and industry needs.

Even when costs fall within ACM ceilings, claims can be rejected or reduced if attendance, allowance or...

HRD Corp offers two primary pathways for claiming training costs—HRD Corp Claimable Courses (HCC) and Skim Bantuan Latihan (SBL)...

The Allowable Cost Matrix (ACM) sets clear ceilings and eligibility rules for claiming training expenses under HRD Corp schemes...

Remote Online Training (ROT) is now treated identically to face-to-face programmes, while pure e-learning follows...