More jobs to be had in Japan
TOKYO - Japan's jobless rate unexpectedly dropped for a second month in September, adding to signs that a recovery in the world's second-largest economy is spreading to consumers.

For more, see http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC091030-0000180/?More-jobs-to-be-had-in-Japan

What you'll pay more for
SINGAPORE - Consumers and businesses here can expect to pay more next year for electricity, food and raw materials and transport, due to rising global oil and commodity prices.

For more, see http://www.todayonline.com/Hotnews/EDC091030-0000125/?What-you'll-pay-more-for-

Latest news

Total employment grew for first time this year
SINGAPORE: Singapore's total employment has grown for the first time this year. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that it grew by 15,400 in the third quarter.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1014712/1/.html

Wanted: More women in the workforce
GETTING more women back to work is gaining urgency as Singapore aims to reduce its reliance on foreign workers, said National Trades Union Congress deputy secretary-general Halimah Yacob.

For more, see http://a1preview.asia1.com.sg:90/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=a99fb93602e94210VgnVCM100000430a0a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=7a8967c086322110VgnVCM100000bd0a0a0aRCRD

Starting over
On January 15, Matt James arrived at Mt Buller to begin his day’s work and was given the news all of us dread.

For more, see http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/coaching/starting-over-20090915-fosn.html

Recovery will see return of skills shortage
A re-emergence of a skills shortage is expected within 12 months despite business doing all it can to hold on to staff during the economic downturn, a survey finds.

For more, see http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/resources/recovery-will-see-return-of-skills-shortage-20091029-hmnh.html

McDonald's employee 'died of overwork'
A store manager with hamburger chain McDonald's in Japan who died of a brain haemorrhage was a victim of "karoshi" or death by overwork, a regional labour office said.

For more, see http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=921737

China firms face staff bottleneck
GENEVA - MANY companies in China's southern export hub are now finding it hard to recruit staff to handle orders as exports show signs of rebounding, a Chinese minister said on Monday.

For more, see http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Money/Story/STIStory_446737.html

Reviving economy top priority
TOKYO - JAPAN'S new prime minister says that reviving the sluggish economy is top priority for his government in a speech that outlined his main policy goals to parliament.

For more, see http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_446682.html

New workplace health recommendations will benefit employers and employees
Recognising the importance that workplace health programmes have in enhancing productivity, efficiency as well as corporate environment and culture, the National Tripartite Committee on Workplace Health (Tricom) has identified three key focus areas and articulated 12 new recommendations to address current challenges faced in workplace health promotion (WHP).

For more, see http://www.hpb.gov.sg/news/article.aspx?id=6460

India's economy seen growing 6.5% this year
NEW DELHI: India's economy has withstood the global financial crisis well and should grow by 6.5 per cent this fiscal year, a top government panel forecast on Wednesday.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/1012807/1/.html

China's economy grows 8.9% in Q3
BEIJING - China's economy grew 8.9 percent in the third quarter of 2009, the government said Thursday, in a strong sign the world's third-largest economy was on the road to recovery.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific_business/view/1012984/1/.html

Recommendations to improve workplace health
SINGAPORE: Workers may soon undergo health screening to detect possible chronic conditions during their compulsory medical examinations.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1013040/1/.html

Malaysia Day now a public holiday, says PM
KUALA LUMPUR: Beginning next year, Sept 16, which is Malaysia Day has been declared a public holiday.

For more, see http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/19/nation/20091019103509&sec=nation

MTUC: Revert EPF cut to 11%
PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) today called on the government to allow the 2.2 million workers, who opted for the 8% Employees Provident Fund (EPF) deductions, to revert to 11% with immediate effect.

For more, see http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/18/nation/20091018123303&sec=nation

Labour movement working towards cheaper, better, faster economy
SINGAPORE: The labour movement, NTUC, will be working towards helping put on track a "Cheaper, Better, Faster (CBF)" economy in the next two years.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1011584/1/.html

Scrap wage-cut for workers who hit 62: NTUC
SINGAPORE - With more companies now paying workers based on performance rather than seniority, the labour movement feels it's time to review the need for a provision that lets employers dock 10 per cent off a worker's salary when he or she is re-employed upon hitting the retirement age.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1011710/1/.html

Employers and schools have to report flu-like symptoms
KUALA LUMPUR: Employers and school administrators are required to report to the nearest district health office any case of influenza-like illness (ILI) and unusually high absenteeism at their workplaces or schools.

For more, see http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/10/nation/20091010140817&sec=nation

Gov’t to consider salary cuts at state-owned enterprises
VietNamNet Bridge – The Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry (MoLISA) has asked the Prime Minister to cut down wages of workers in state-owned enterprises that incur losses in 2009 by 20 percent.

For more, see http://english.vietnamnet.vn/social/200910/Govt-to-consider-salary-cuts-at-stateowned-enterprises-872767/

MTUC unhappy with call to review foreign labour policy
BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) called on the Government to reconsider its review of the foreign recruitment policy following pressure by companies claiming there was a labour shortage in the country.

For more, see http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/10/8/nation/20091008143024&sec=nation

'Living wage' identified for Asia
Labour Behind the Label, a group that campaigns for garment workers, has calculated a wage it says should be used as a minimum for workers in Asia.

For more, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8294531.stm

CBD workers encouraged to bring lunch boxes to take away food
SINGAPORE: A group of undergraduates hope Singaporeans would start bringing their own lunch boxes to work as part of efforts to save the environment, and like-minded food stall vendors in the central business district are joining in the campaign.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1009894/1/.html

NTUC calls for gradual phasing out of Jobs Credit Scheme
SINGAPORE: Ahead of an announcement next Tuesday on the future of the Jobs Credit Scheme, Singapore's labour movement has once again called for the scheme to be gradually phased out, instead of sudden termination.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1009876/1/.html

Medtronic invests S$80m in Singapore plant
SINGAPORE: Global medical technology firm Medtronic is investing some S$80 million to set up a manufacturing facility in Singapore.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1010030/1/.html

How to stimulate creativity? Go live abroad
People who live abroad are more creative; and the more time they spend away from home, the more creative they become. That’s according to a recent study done by William Maddux, an assistant professor of organisational behavior at INSEAD.

For more, see http://knowledge.insead.edu/Howtostimulatecreativity090612.cfm?vid=255

Malaysia allows unskilled, semi-skilled migrants
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Unlike many countries which favour only skilled migrants and put up many barriers for unskilled workers, it is a different picture in Malaysia.

For more, see http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsgeneral.php?id=444902

Tripartite partners' response to crisis exemplifies CSR
SINGAPORE: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) was clearly manifested in this economic downturn when tripartite partners came together to issue guidelines to firms on how best to manage excess manpower and to save jobs, said Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong on Tuesday.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1009600/1/.html

France Telecom No. 2 resigns over staff suicides
PARIS : France Telecom deputy chief executive Louis-Pierre Wenes, architect of a modernisation drive at the former state monopoly that is blamed for a wave of staff suicides, resigned on Monday.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world_business/view/1009414/1/.html

Unemployment to peak in 8-12 months, says IMF chief
ISTANBUL : World unemployment will not peak for at least another eight to 12 months at least as the economic recovery takes root, the head of the International Monetary Fund said on Monday.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_world_business/view/1009494/1/.html

Growing integration sees Taiwanese, mainlanders competing in job market
TAIPEI : Over the past year, cross-strait relations have reached their best level in six decades, as commerce, social and study visits bring the people of Taiwan and the mainland closer.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/1008607/1/.html

Jobs Credit's fate on Oct 13
THE fate of Jobs Credit, the Government's wage subsidy scheme, could be known in two weeks' time.

For more, see http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_437139.html

Raise output for upturn
THE GOVERNMENT has called on businesses here to focus on enhancing their productivity to deal with the downturn while also preparing for the upturn.

For more, see http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_437162.html

Latest news

NS and benefits enjoyed by PRs top dialogue with PM Lee
SINGAPORE : National service for new arrivals and ideas to help integrate permanent residents and new citizens with Singaporeans were some of the issues discussed with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his hour-long dialogue with women professionals on Thursday.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1008689/1/.html

Survey shows civil servants happier compared to those in private sector
SINGAPORE : Employees working for the government are happier than those in the private sector. This is according to an online survey conducted by JobsCentral, one of Singapore's largest job portals.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1008605/1/.html

Some taxi firms go that extra mile
Aya Ito takes a taxi every day to bring her twin 1-year-old boys to a nursery at her workplace thanks to a cab company that is friendly to mothers and the elderly.

For more, see http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nn20091002f2.html

Talent hub another strong selling point for S'pore
MAKING Singapore a home for talent is the next push to ensure Singapore stays attractive to foreign investors, according to Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang.

For more, see http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,352669,00.html?

Accenture does it well and gets it right
ACCENTURE India's submission for its winning bid for the first Asian Human Capital Award could fill the whole volume of a management bestseller.

For more, see http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,352670,00.html?

Govt agency formed to combat cyber threats
(SINGAPORE) Local authorities are taking the fight against terrorism beyond physical borders to cyberspace with the formation of a new national security agency.

For more, see http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,352647,00.html?

Banking headed for less lucrative days: Koh
(SINGAPORE) DBS Bank chairman Koh Boon Hwee says the banking business in the future will not be as lucrative as it was before the onset of the current global recession, sparked by reckless lendings.

For more, see http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/sub/news/story/0,4574,352640,00.html?

Japan’s Tankan Survey Shows Companies Plan Deeper Spending Cuts
Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese companies plan to deepen investment cuts as profits slump, inhibiting the recovery from the nation’s worst postwar recession, the central bank’s Tankan survey showed.

For more, see http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601068&sid=a2QyeaYRLbAU

Japan prices continue record fall
Japan's core consumer prices dropped 2.4% in August year-on-year, the fourth successive month of record falls.

For more, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8279832.stm

Temps paid less for same work
Although an estimated 41 percent of nonregular workers are doing work on par with that of regular employees, only 16 percent are getting the same pay, a labor ministry study said Wednesday.

For more, see http://search.japantimes.co.jp/mail/nb20091001a6.html

Hospitals urged to halt loss of female doctors
A Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry study group has compiled a booklet on workplace improvements medical organizations need to make to prevent female doctors from quitting during pregnancy or child rearing.

For more, see http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20091001f2.html

Experts say China's one-child policy will undermine country's economic rise
China has the world's largest population of 1.3 billion. Its labour force is more than double that of the US and the EU combined.

And by 2020, said some observers, China will overtake the US as the world's largest manufacturer.

But under the one-child policy, the country is likely to grow old before it grows rich.

For more, see http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/eastasia/view/1008359/1/.html