KUALA LUMPUR: Malindo Airways has disbursed funds received under the Employment Retention Programme (ERP) to its staff, said Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M Saravanan.
He said the Ministry was informed on the matter during a meeting held yesterday between Industrial Relations Department, Labour Department, Social Security Organisation (Socso) and the management of the airlines.
"The Ministry was informed by the management of Malindo Airways that they had received assistance under ERP for April and May.
"The RM1.26 million received for April had benefited 2,112 staff while the payment for May of RM1.48 million had benefited 2,478 staff.
"All staff that listed under ERP were not retrenched then and the management also confirmed that all the funds received were disbursed accordingly to their employees," he said in a statement today.
He said Socso's record revealed that the airline company also received RM240,000 via the Wage Subsidy Programme for July and August for 200 staff.
Malindo Airways has retrenched 2,647 staff since Nov 1 where one-year unpaid leave notices were offered to 439 employees, with 347 offered the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS) and the remaining 1,861 employees given notice of retrenchment with minimum compensation under the Employment Act 1955.
The minister added that for the 439 staff who received the one-year unpaid notice leave from Malindo Air should assume that their service contract had been terminated.
"As such, they can submit the loss of employment claim under the Employment Insurance System (EIS) so that they can get assistance while looking for a new job."
Meanwhile, he said Socso would assist the retrenched workers look for job opportunities via the national employment portal, MYFutureJobs.
He assured that all affected workers would get their benefits under the Employment Insurance System (EIS).
"They would also be entitled to enrol in reskilling and upskilling programmes offered by Sosco which fees would be fully borne by the government.
"Affected staff are advised to submit the EIS benefits application immediately on eis.perkeso.gov.my or go to any Socso office for the matter," he said.
