Safety and health at work

Every year more than 2 million people die from occupational accidents or work-related diseases. By conservative estimates, there are 270 million occupational accidents and 160 million cases of occupational disease. The safety of work varies enormously between countries, economic sectors and social groups. Deaths and injuries take a particularly heavy toll in developing nations, where large numbers of people are engaged in hazardous activities such as agriculture, construction, logging, fishing and mining. Throughout the world, the poorest and least protected – often women, children and migrants – are among the most affected. The ILO places special importance on developing and applying a preventative safety and health culture in workplaces worldwide. In 2003, the ILO began to observe World Day stressing the prevention of illness and accidents at work on every 28 April, capitalizing on its traditional strengths of tripartism and social dialogue. 28 April is also a day the world's trade union movement has long associated with commemorating victims of occupational accidents and disease.

Occupational Health and Safety (Reports on Canadian Laws)

Canadian occupational health and safety legislation is primarily based on three fundamental rights of workers:

* the right to be informed of known or foreseeable safety or health hazards in the workplace;

* the right to participate in the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases either as members of joint health and safety committees or as health and safety representatives; and

* the right to refuse dangerous work and be protected against dismissal or disciplinary action following a legitimate refusal.

The occupational health and safety Acts usually lay down these principles and the general duties of employers and workers. Regulations issued under these Acts specify technical requirements that must be complied with, set standards that must met and prescribe procedures that must be followed to reduce the risk of occupational accidents and diseases.

Officials appointed by the federal, provincial and territorial governments have the power to inspect workplaces and make a variety of orders directed at the employers and workers. Inspections may be requested by employees, and the law protects them against dismissal or disciplinary action for seeking the enforcement of the occupational health and safety legislation.

The following documentation is not intended to be a substitute for the relevant federal, provincial or territorial statutes and regulations governing occupational health and safety. Users are reminded that it is prepared for convenience only and that, as such, it has no official sanction. Users are therefore advised to consult the actual texts of the legislative provisions whose summary is provided below.

* Recent and historic changes to occupational health and safety legislation
* Jurisdiction of the federal government and the provinces/territories
* Canadian legislation relating to joint occupational health and safety committees(PDF Document)
* Canadian legislation relating to safety and health representatives (PDF Document)
* Canadian legislation relating to the right to refuse dangerous work (PDF Document)
* Enforcement Orders of Health and Safety Officers/Inspectors (PDF Document)
* Prevention of violence in the workplace (PDF Version)

Australia Post ruling shows flaw in workplace law

UNIONS cannot apply to take industrial action to try to restrict the use of contract labour, according to a ruling that a legal expert said highlighted an "absurd" aspect of Labor's workplace laws.

Fair Work Australia has published the reasons for its decision last month to cancel a proposed national strike ballot of Australia Post employees.

It found the workers' union was not genuinely trying to reach an agreement with the organisation.

During negotiations over an enterprise agreement, the Communications Electrical and Plumbing Union had sought to restrict Australia Post's right to use independent contractors, including requiring the company to contract out a position only if it was not wanted by an Australia Post employee.

But Fair Work Australia upheld earlier legal rulings that provisions restricting or qualifying the employer's right to use independent contractors were not matters pertaining to the employment relationship.

"The CEPU has been and is pursuing as a substantive term of the proposed enterprise agreement a claim in respect of contractors which is not about a permitted matter for a proposed enterprise agreement under the Fair Work Act," a full bench of the tribunal found.

Therefore, it said, it was not satisfied the union had been genuinely trying to reach an agreement with Australia Post.

University of Adelaide law professor Andrew Stewart said the decision highlighted how the Fair Work Act "unequivocally" differed from Labor's Forward with Fairness policy, which originally gave employers and employees the freedom to negotiate terms of agreements.

After subsequently deeming certain matters would be unlawful, Professor Stewart said the government devised a "half-baked compromise" that said certain non-permitted matters were allowed in agreements, but could not be enforced.

Unions could not take industrial action in support of a non-permitted matter unless a union reasonably believed they were a permitted term.

"All this looks fairly straightforward," he said. "It just produces what, in my view, is an absurd result that a union can't take industrial action over a clause that can be included in an agreement but isn't enforceable."

Professor Stewart said there were not any provisions in the Fair Work Act "that tells you for sure whether you can put a term in your agreement regulating the use of contractors or labour hire workers".

"Instead, what we've got is a view that there are some kinds of restrictions which are OK and some which are not, based on decades of confusing case law about the matters pertaining issue," he said.

"The view is you can't stop an employer hiring outside labour because that's not a matter pertaining to the employment relationship.

"Why? Because the High Court told us so in a rather contentious decision about 40 years ago.

"But you can have clauses in your agreement that regulate what wages or conditions they should receive because that is a matter pertaining to employment, according to some recent decisions by the Industrial Relations Commission. So we have got considerable uncertainty about what you can and can't put in an agreement."

Labour Law

Labour Law


Labour law defines your rights and obligations as workers, union members and employers in the workplace. Generally, labour law covers:

* Industrial relations – certification of unions, labour-management relations, collective bargaining and unfair labour practices
* Workplace health and safety
* Employment standards, including general holidays, annual vacations, working hours, unjust dismissals, minimum wage, layoff procedures and severance pay

If you are a federally regulated employer or if you work for a federally regulated employer such as a bank, telecommunications company or interprovincial transportation company, the Canada Labour Code is the labour law that applies to you. Visit these pages to find out more.
Industrial Relations

* Industrial Relations Legislation in Canada
* Canada Labour Code, Part I

Workplace Health and Safety

* Occupational Health and Safety (Reports on Canadian Laws)
* Canada Labour Code, Part II
* Acts, Exclusions and Regulations
* Regulations Amending the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

Employment Standards

* Employment Standards Legislation in Canada
* Canada Labour Code, Part III and Regulations
* Whistleblower Protection

Additional Information

* Developments in Labour Legislation in Canada
* Employment Equity Legislation and Agreements
* Canadian Association of Administrators of Labour Legislation (CAALL)

Job Interview Tips

Doing Your Homework For Job Interviews Maybe you breezed through college and have been able to “wing it” better than most, but when it comes to job interviews, if you don’t spend time doing your homework, it could cost you the offer.

10 Steps to Pitch Yourself and Elevate Your Career Imagine this scenario: You're in a lift. The doors open and someone walks in. You glance at the newcomer and – it's Dato' Lim Kok Wing! Dato' Tony Fernandes! Bill Gates! This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and you've got one elevator ride - just 30 seconds or even less – to introduce yourself and impress Dato' Lim, Dato’ Tony or Bill enough to hire you.

Tell Me About Yourself The "Tell me about yourself" question is probably as old as dinosaurs but it is also one of the toughest questions to be asked as well.

Interview: The Impression You Create When You Fail to Turn Up When your potential interviewer short listed you for a job interview, you are supposed to take it seriously and turn up for the interview, even if the sky were to fall that day.

Top 10: Interview Mistakes Most of the time, potential job candidates are not aware of the mistakes they make before and during the interview. These small mistakes that might cost them a job.

Top 10: General Interview Tips Majority of the interviewees go to an interview without much preparation. These ten interview tips will help you go through an interview with a breeze!

What To Wear To An Interview You have made it through and have been called for an interview for the job you are applying for. What should you wear to the interview?

Preparation For An Interview - How Important is this to you? Many of us have applied to many companies and positions, yet were found to be unsuitable for the position. So how do we know which job is suitable? How do we prepare for an interview and job application?

How To Negotiate for A Better Salary Graduates these days find salary negotiations to being a very difficult aspect and experience during an interview with a prospective employer - whether they are experienced or have just graduated. So how do we negotiate for a better salary?

9 Tips for Better Online Job Hunting

Job hunt - a "task" that influence your future and life goes without saying that the Internet has drastically changed the way people today hunt for jobs. It's probably been a few years since you've submitted a resume via mail or fax. But even most professionals turn to the Internet for help locating a new position, not all understand the finer points of a Web-based job search.

Following are some tips to keep in mind the next time you look online.

Number 1

Top Job sites

It's prudent to start your job search by visiting top job sites such as JobsDB.com because of the sheer number of listings offered. In addition, employers of all scales and industries are apt to list their job openings on sites with strong brand recognition. If you're at a crossroads in your career or willing to relocate, the big boards offer the widest view of what jobs are currently available.

Number 2

Submit your online resume or ready-made resume

Resume and cover letter are the marketing tools to sell yourself to the employers. Employers will judge you based on your resume. You must ensure that the submitted resume is great and containing the essential details. You may spend some time to fill in your online resume step-by-step. Or, to save your time, you may make use of the resume upload function to upload your ready-made resume to the recruitment site if you have it on hand. The advantages of a full online resume over a ready-made resume is that it guides you through developing a good resume without missing out the important details that all employers would like to know about the candidates. But be mindful of your spelling and grammar when typing information directly onto online forms.

Number 3

Essential of Resume Update regularly

Always get your resume prepared with updated information to tackle every opportunity when great openings present. In order to maximize the opportunity of getting hired, you should regularly update your resume with relevant accomplishments, new job duties, recently achieved certifications, and other similar achievements.

Number 4

Get jobs come to you, Job Alert Subscription

In addition to search the large boards, you may get the jobs come to you by subscribing to service offered by recruitment site - Job Alert! The service allows the job seeker to specialize your preferred job function and suit to your field. Besides, it always keeps you up-to-date on opening or position offered by employers. All you need to do is check your email daily to get the job alert, you may apply directly when suitable job found. Subscribe now to Job Alert!

Number 5

Appropriately utilise quick apply

Most job sites enable users to apply for a position with a simple click of the mouse. But don't blindly apply. Recruitment managers seek tailored resumes that directly tie a job seeker's unique skills and abilities to the requirements of the position. Take the extra time and effort to customize your application materials to each specific opportunity.

Number 6

Be an expert in job hunting

Make yourself full with knowledge of job hunting especially for newcomers to the job market. Guides to write great resume and cover letter, negotiating your salary, tips of attending interview, asking the right question in the interview and so on are the precious intellectual treasures for your career hunting. You may subscribe to e-Newsletter where you can receive lots of useful tips on job hunting. Sometimes, you may find some special messages or special recruitment messages from the employers. So, don't miss them, it is vital! They may change your life. Let's subscribe to e-Newsletter now.

Number 7

Let the resume be searchable

Always keep your resume "open" for searching! A searchable resume will open the door to be head hunted by the potential employers. You don't know when the employers will knock on your door unexpectedly to offer you a job opportunity. Probably you will receive some resume request from employers which are unexpected or you may not be interested on the positions offered. But you can still send a resume and cover letter to the company to widen the opportunity, as anything can happen in future.

Number 8

Scanning oldies for goodies

It is a big mistake to limit your search to positions posted in the last few days. Some positions posted one month ago might still available; especially hard-to-find skills are required. It will be advantageous to focus on oldies opening while most job seekers focusing on recent postings, you may be competing with fewer candidates.

Number 9

Follow up

When job hunting is done online, it's critical that you follow up with prospective employers after applying for a position. If you've submitted your application and haven't heard back from the company, make a call or send an e-mail to verify that the resume was received and to reassert your interest in the position. But it should be done within two weeks of submitting application materials.

An online job hunt shouldn't be the only strategy you use to find a new position while the Internet has revolutionized the way job seekers connect with prospective employers. The best searches combine various approaches, including exploring the services offered by recruiting and staffing firms, touching base with members of your professional network, and participating in industry events where you can hobnob with hiring managers.

Job Seeker Handbook

Malaysian Labour Law

Malaysia Labour Law consists of Hiring, Firing, Sexual Harrassment, Occupational Safety, EPF, SOCSO, Dispute, Pension, Workmen's Compensation, Salary Act and Statutory Holiday.

Table of Contents

1. Regulation of Employment (HTML)
   1. Hiring
      • 1.1 The Minimum Conditions Set Out For Employment
      • 1.2 The Contract of Service
      • 1.3 Understanding of Probation
      • 1.4 Payment of Wages to Employee
      • 1.5 Leave Entitlement of Employee
      • 1.6 The Maternity Right of Female Employee
      • 1.7 The Working Hours and Rest for Employee
      • 1.8 The Minimum Age of Employee
   2. Firing
      • 2.1 The Circumstances a Contract of Service be Terminated by Either Employer or Employee
      • 2.2 Notice Period Required Terminating a Contract of Service
      • 2.3 Termination without Cause Or Excuse by My Employer
      • 2.4 The Circumstances an Employee as Not Entitled to Termination or Lay-Off Benefits
      • 2.5 Actual Amount of Layoff Benefits Payable
   3. Workmen's Compensation
      • 3.1 The Compensation
      • 3.2 The Law Governing The Workmen's Compensation in Malaysia
      • 3.3 Individual Covered Under The Workmen's Compensation Act 1952
      • 3.4 Foreign Worker Insured by Employer
      • 3.5 What Should Be Done If A Worker Is Involved in an Accident
   4. Sexual Harrassment
      • 4.1 What Is Sexual Harassment?
      • 4.2 Types of Sexual Harassment
      • 4.3 The Differences Between Verbal, Non-Verbal, Visual, Psychological And Physical Harassment
      • 4.4 Law in Malaysia to Deal Specifically with Sexual Harassment
      • 4.5 Chances Of Seeing Justice Being Done
      • 4.6 What Should I Do If I Am Being Sexually Harassed?
   5. Occupational Safety and Health Act
      • 5.1 What Is Occupational Safety and Health Act?
      • 5.2 The Act Affection
      • 5.3 The Written Safety and Health Policy
   6. Dispute
      • 6.1 What Is a Dispute?
      • 6.2 The Industrial Relations Act 1967 Provides
      • 6.3 What Are the Cases That I Can Refer to Industrial Relations?
      • 6.4 Complaint to the Industrial Relations
      • 6.5 Unlawfully Dismissed
      • 6.6 Presenting in a Dispute Case
      • 6.7 Appeals against Industrial Court Decision
   7. Pension
      • 7.1 What Is Pension?
      • 7.2 The Individual Entitled To Pension Benefit
      • 7.3 Circumstances Reducing or Withholding Pension
      • 7.4 Calculation of Pension
      • 7.5 Who Is Deemed to Be A Pensionable Officer?
      • 7.6 Granted a Pension
      • 7.7 Compulsory Retirement
      • 7.8 Optional Retirement
      • 7.9 The Pension Where an Officer Dies in Service
      • 7.10 The Pension Where an Officer Dies After Retirement
      • 7.11 Cease a Pension
      • 7.12 Pension for Disabled Person In The Course Of Performing His Official Duty
      • 7.13 The Rate Payable for Disability Pension
      • 7.14 Is a Pension Assignable?
   8. EPF
      • 8.1 What is Employment Provident Fund (EPF)?
      • 8.2 Contribute Towards the Fund
      • 8.3 The Procedure to Register An Employee With The EPF
      • 8.4 When Should Employer Pay Contribution to EPF
   9. SOCSO
      • 9.1 What Is Social Security Organization (SOSCO)?
      • 9.2 Compulsory Contribute To SOCSO
      • 9.3 Wages Mean For The Purpose Of SOCSO Contribution
      • 9.4 The Coverage Provided To an Insured Person by SOCSO Under ESSA 1969
      • 9.5 The Invalidity Pension Scheme Cover and The Benefits Provided
      • 9.6 The Coverage of Employment Injury Insurance Scheme
      • 9.7 The Rate of SOCSO Contribution
      • 9.8 The Responsibilities of an Employer
      • 9.9 Interest on Contributions Due and Not Paid On Time by Employer
      • 9.10 What About An Employee With Monthly Wages Exceeding RM2,000
      • 9.11 Report an Accident and Make My Claim
      • 9.12 Processing a Claim
      • 9.13 Appeal
2. Statutory Holiday (PDF)
3. Salary Act (PDF)