Minister: Dept has 90 days to settle 1,970 cases of retrenchment

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has given the Industrial Relations Department (IRD) a 90-day timeframe to settle 1,970 pending cases related to retrenchment of workers.

Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran said department officers were told to ensure that the cases were settled within the given period.

“Regardless if it is the weekend, a public holiday or they (officers) have to work late nights, they must settle the cases,” Kulasegaran said.

“These cases should be disposed of as soon as possible because this is about the welfare of the workers, their family and source of income.”

Kulasegaran said he would assist IRD to expedite the process.

He said retrenched workers could refer to IRD within 60 days for investigations to be carried out.

Speaking to members of the media after visiting the department yesterday, Kulasegaran said he was concerned about the amount of overdue cases referred to the Industrial Court this year.

As of April 30, the Industrial Court has handled 3,687 cases, but only 912 cases were disposed of.

“The Industrial Court has agreed to dispose of cases as soon as possible without compromising on quality.

“That means it will hear your case and listen to all the witnesses involved before making a decision.

“Otherwise, cases with certain fundamentals will be referred to the department’s director-general.”