Thailand – Jobless rate dips in fourth quarter but remains near multi-year high (Reuters)

Thailand’s unemployment rate fell in the fourth quarter of 2020 from the third quarter, reports Reuters. The fall comes as an easing of Covid-19 curbs led to a revival in economic activity. The unemployment rate was 1.86% in the October-December quarter, representing 730,000 workers without jobs, agency...

Australia – Seek revenue down 4%, plans to sell stake in Zhaopin as CEO transitions to Executive Chairman

Australia job board Seek (ASX: SEK) reported revenue yesterday of AUD 819.9 million (USD 649.6 million) for the six months ended 31 December 2020, a fall of 4% in constant currency when compared to the previous year.

The group said its results are broadly in line with the previous corresponding period...

Hong Kong – Renrui provides business update: Number of flexible staffing employees on the rise

Renrui Human Resources Technology (6919: HKG), a mainland China-based flexible staffing services provided a business update.

The company said that due to flexible staffing services being a major business segment of the group, Renrui has been focusing on the development of this business segment and the...

Japan – Temporary employment firm Mynavi acquires 444

Mynavi, a Japan-based firm involved in worker dispatching and job placements, announced it acquired 444 Co., a developer of programming skill diagnosis and quantification service solutions 'TechFUL’, also based in Japan.

The acquisition will allow Mynavito provide graduates new recruitment services....

China – Court orders man to pay wife for housework in landmark case (BBC News)

A Beijing divorce court has ordered a man to compensate his wife for the housework she did during their marriage, in a landmark ruling, reports BBC News. The woman will receive RMB 50,000 yuan (USD 7,754) for five years of unpaid labour. The case has generated a huge debate online over the value of domestic...

Australia – Freelancer revenue up 1.5% in 2020

Freelancer (FLN:ASX) reported net revenue rose 1.5% for the full year 2020. Revenue was flat at its Freelancer.com talent platform; however, it was up 9% on its Escrow.com payments platform.

The Sydney, Australia-based company reported record gross payment volume in 2020 at AUD 891.8 million, an increase...

Japan – Dip Corp. sends complaint over Indeed’s TV, YouTube ads

DIP Corp. (2379:TYO) announced in a regulatory filing that it sent a warning letter to job aggregator Indeed, owned by Japan-based staffing giant Recruit Co. Ltd. (6098:TYO), saying there were exaggerations in video commercials released by Indeed on both television and YouTube. Tokyo based DIP Corp,...

Australia – Use of unlicensed labour hire firms nets AUD 370,000 in fines

Labour Hire Licensing Queensland announced last week that it issued AUD 370,000 (USD 291,125) in fines over the use of unlicensed labour hire companies at a poultry processor in Ormeau, Australia. Offences were uncovered during an investigation in 2019.

B&E Poultry, the poultry processor that engaged...

Singapore – Number of new graduates in temp or part-time work triples (The Straits Times)

The number of new graduates from universities who are in part-time or temporary employment in Singapore more than tripled in 2020 to 22.3% from 7% in 2019, The Straits Times newspaper reported. The data comes from the Joint Autonomous Universities Graduate Employment Survey 2020 conducted by four universities...

Australia – Employers cannot legally force employees to get the Covid-19 vaccine, new guidance states

As Australia continues its national rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine, the Fair Work Ombudsman and Safe Work Australia published updated Covid-19 vaccination guidance for the workplace.

“The Australian Government is committed to providing all Australians with access to free, safe and effective Covid-19...