Need to formulate law for gig workers being studied - Saravanan

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Human Resources is looking into the need for a law, specifically to regulate gig workers and protect their welfare as this group is not covered by the Employment Act 1955.

Its minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan said so far, gig workers only received social protection under the Self-Employment Social Security Scheme of the Social Security Organisation (Socso).

"The ministry has been following this issue involving gig workers in this country, whether raised by the mass media or during the question-and-answer time in Parliament.

"There have also been the latest developments in the United Kingdom involving the decision of its Supreme Court on the status of their gig workers.

"Our ministry will be studying this decision in the UK on their gig workers being eligible for employment rights and whether this can be applied or adapted to regulate the gig workers in Malaysia," he said in a statement today.

Saravanan said his ministry would be holding engagement sessions with the stakeholders soon and convey the feedback on the matter to the Cabinet.

Gig economy workers are self-employed individuals who are free to focus on their scope of work within a set time frame with the job payment already agreed upon.

The gig work system and characteristics give the organisations and workers involved, the freedom to have a more open job contract and flexible working hours and without being tied down to full-time work in the office.

-- BERNAMA