Make changes to fit in disabled, bosses told

Tuesday May 19, 2009

Make changes to fit in disabled, bosses told

KUALA LUMPUR: Employers should make adjustments to absorb employees who become disabled after work accidents, Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam said.

He said employers must take up this social obligation, and the adjustments could involve changing job specifications, creating flexi-time or making changes to work surroundings, for those still able to work.

“For the preservation of human dignity, it’s important for us, as a nation, and employers to bring these changes to the community,” he said.

Dr Subramaniam said that since the Social Security Organisation’s (Socso) “Return to Work” rehabilitation programme started in 2007, and until March this year, 441 of 566 employees who joined the programme had gone back to work.

The rest, he said, were still seeking jobs, or undergoing rehabilitation or medical treatment.

He said 868 work accident cases had been referred to the programme during the period but only 566 joined the programme.

He was speaking at Socso’s “Return to Work” National Seminar 2009 yesterday.

The ministry was also setting up a rehabilitation centre in Malacca, which would be ready in two years, he said, adding that the RM80mil project was in the preliminary stage of construction.

Currently, the Government was using public and private facilities for the “Return to Work” programme, he said.

Socso board chairman Datuk Hong Lee Pee said they were initially sceptical about the programme succeeding in Malaysia.

However, the response from employers and employees has been good, he added.