Its minister Steven Sim said as of October, close to 3,000 companies with more than 50,000 employees in Penang, the Klang Valley, and Johor Bahru had joined workshops by TalentCorp to learn more about FWA and how to implement it.

“Many companies actually come up to us and say they want to implement the policy but are unsure of how to go about it, and are worried they will be in breach of employment laws,” Sim told reporters after launching the guidelines for FWA at M Resort Hotel here.

He said by implementing the policy, companies would be able to remain competitive in retaining talent, reducing operational costs, providing a conducive working environment, and increasing productivity.

Sim said its implementation would also lead to improvements in other areas, such as traffic congestion and stress management among employees.

He said TalentCorp would conduct a study of companies that carried out FWA in the next six months to understand what impacts or issues they faced.

The guidelines launched today included FWA objectives, benefits, implementation methods, approval process, responsibilities for employers and employees, appeal process, and types of jobs suitable for the policy.

In April, Sim said workers could apply to their employers for FWA based on time, days, and location of work according to Sections 60P and 60Q of the Employment Act 1955.

He said that employers must provide feedback on such applications within 60 days of receipt as well as reasons for rejection.