Gov't revises code of practice for employment agencies

They are prohibited from providing monetary incentives aimed at prematurely terminating contracts.

The Labour Department revised the Code of Practice (CoP) for employment agencies.

Under the revised CoP, employment agencies are required to inform foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) about relevant immigration regulations and are prohibited from providing monetary incentives aimed at prematurely terminating their employment contracts.

Employment agencies must also notify the department of any affiliations with financial institutions when applying for or renewing a license and provide details about temporary housing for FDH job seekers whilst ensuring compliance with relevant requirements.

Providing job seekers with personal loan information and withholding their employment contracts to force them to pay or repay any sum of money is also prohibited under the CoP.

The revised CoP also mandates that employment agencies detail in service agreements with FDH employers the fees for each service category and specify provisions for refunds or replacement helpers if services aren't fully delivered or if the helper terminates the contract prematurely within two years.

In addition, employment agencies should not publicly share or disclose sensitive personal data of job seekers and related individuals.