Socso offers hand to retrenched airline staff

 

Social media was flooded with farewell messages such as this from retrenched staff of Malindo Air who left the airline last Friday. (Twitter pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has assured airline staff who recently lost their jobs that the agency is ready to help them get back on their feet through various initiatives.

“In light of the recent retrenchment exercise in the local aviation industry, Socso is committed to helping airline staff who have lost their jobs with benefits under the Employment Insurance System (EIS) and government incentives under the Short-Term Economic Recovery Plan (Penjana),” it said in a statement today.

Managed by Socso, the EIS provides income replacement for employees who have lost their jobs, with a job search allowance for up to six months.

Socso also said it will help those who have been retrenched to get new jobs through the Re-employment Placement Programme.

It will also bear up to RM4,000 in training costs under its vocational skills training programme.

In addition, Socso said its Penjana Hiring Incentive Programme, through the national employment portal, MYFutureJobs, will provide workers with the chance to upskill and reskill.

“As always, Socso will take a proactive measure in providing assistance to workers who have lost their jobs even before they submit their claims for EIS benefits,” said Socso.

Socso said it conducted a virtual job interview programme from Oct 22 to Oct 23, aimed at providing immediate assistance to those who have been retrenched.

About 2,000 Malindo Air staff were retrenched last Friday in the latest cost-cutting measure for the airline.

The airline asked 70% of its staff to take no-pay leave in April but reportedly offered its employees to take voluntary long-term unpaid leave of one year the next month.

The airline industry has been struggling to cope with the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, with AirAsia Bhd and AirAsia X Bhd retrenching 10% of their 24,000 employees in October.

AirAsia also laid off more than 250 of its staff in June.

Meanwhile, local media reported last month that up to 20% of the 8,500 workers at national carrier Malaysia Airlines are at risk of being retrenched. - FMT