PETALING JAYA: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) is backing the government’s aspirations to create 600,000 job opportunities under the Jamin Kerja Keluarga Malaysia (JaminKerja) job guarantee initiative.

       Socso chief executive officer Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said it received a RM2bil allocation to implement JaminKerja under its Employment Insurance System (SIP), a Socso programme that provides workers who have lost their jobs with financial assistance and helps them find new jobs.

       JaminKerja is one of several government initiatives announced in Budget 2022 that will be implemented by Socso.

       Mohammed Azman said that Socso, an agency under the Human Resources Ministry, has targeted some 300,000 jobseekers nationwide to benefit from the initiative, which will further stimulate job creation by employers.

       “It will also encourage more focus groups, such as people with disabilities, ex-prisoners, former servicemen, the Orang Asli as well as women, to return to work,” he said yesterday.

       According to Mohammed Azman, the JaminKerja salary incentive initiative is for employers who recruit those not actively working with a monthly salary of RM1,500 and above.

       He noted that JaminKerja would also continue to provide apprentice incentives of RM900 per month, for six months, to employers who hire school leavers and graduates aged 18 to 30 years.

       As for gig economy workers, he said JaminKerja would also provide an incentive of RM900 per month, for six months, to individuals in gig jobs.

       To assist and encourage unemployed individuals to find employment, he said the job-seeking allowance or Employment Allowance Assistance (EMP) would continue under SIP for all Socso contributors and non-contributors.

       The initiative, he added, was an improvement from the previous SIP Prihatin 1.0 and SIP Prihatin 2.0, and was expected to benefit 265,000 active jobseekers.

       For Socso contributors, Mohammed Azman said they would receive the SIP EMP+ for nine months with a claimable rate of 80% of salary for the first month, 50% (second to sixth month) and 30% (last three months).

       Those who lost their jobs in 2021 and are still unemployed are eligible to receive an additional allowance for three months under SIP EMP+.

       For non-contributors, they will get an allowance of RM300 per month for a period of three months, and a one-time allowance of RM400 upon successful employment placement.

       Mohammed Azman said that Socso would also expand its social security coverage for housewives through the Program Kasih Suri Keluarga Malaysia.