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Private sector employees may apply for flexible work arrangements, including working from home, under the Flexible Work Arrangement (FWA) initiative, reminded Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R Ramanan
According to Berita Harian, Ramanan said the initiative places strong emphasis on employee welfare and improving work-life balance between professional and family responsibilities.
"The government introduced the FWA initiative through amendments to the Employment Act 1955, which came into force on 1 January 2023, as well as amendments to the Labour Ordinance (Sarawak Cap. 76) and Labour Ordinance (Sabah Cap. 67), which took effect on 1 May 2025," he said.
Employees may apply to their employers for FWA, which can include changes to working hours, working days, or work location, subject to employer approval
"The application is also subject to rest days, working hours, public holidays, and other terms of service," he said when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Royal Address for the Human Resources Ministry at the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, 10 February.
However, Ramanan also reminded that flexible work practices — including working from home or flexible hours — depend on the suitability of the sector, nature of the job, and mutual agreement between employer and employee.
He added that implementation guidelines have been prepared to help employers, employees, and trade unions better understand the core aspects of the initiative
"As of last year, 2,460 organisations had adopted the initiative, benefiting around 474,400 employees.
"The implementation is also supported by tax incentives, including an additional 50% deduction for employers who invest in capacity building and FWA-related software, as announced in Budget 2025," he told the Dewan Rakyat.
