KUALA LUMPUR:The Social Security Organisation (Socso) received 345 complaints against employers regarding payments under the Wage Subsidy Programme (PSU), with 155 cases involving false claims and misuse of PSU.

Deputy Minister of Human Resources Awang Hashim said, as of Oct 30, 331,950 employers' applications for under PSU were received involving 2.7 million employees.

“Socso has received 345 cases of complaints against employers regarding payments under the PSU involving RM19,986,200. From the complaints received, 155 cases of false claims and misuse of PSU funds have been identified by Socso for action to reclaim payments from the employers.

"The ministry will temporarily suspend the payments to employers involved in false claims until the investigation on complaints is completed," he said at a question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He said this to answer a question from Datuk Mahfuz Omar (PH-Pokok Sena) on the number of employers identified making false claims under PSU.

Meanwhile, answering a question from Nurul Izzah Anwar (PH-Permatang Pauh) on the amendment of the Employment Act 1955, Awang said his ministry was in the final stages of amending the act by creating several new provisions.

It includes amendments prohibiting discrimination against employees, extending the maternity leave period, prohibiting termination of employment due to pregnancy, introducing flexible working hours and creating a seven-day paternity leave.

"A Technical Committee for the amendment of the Employment Act 1955 was also established under the National Labor Advisory Council and has already held a meeting to examine and detail the proposed amendments to this act," he said.

He said, however, job seekers were not covered under the Employment Act 1955 as it covered employees entering into or establishing an employment relationship with an employer via a basis of ‘Contract of Service’.

-- BERNAMA