KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Security Organisation (Perkeso) is prepared to assist TikTok employees in Malaysia who have been affected by the mass layoffs initiated by its parent company, ByteDance Ltd.
In a statement, Perkeso said affected employees will receive income replacement for a three to six-month period while they seek new employment through its Job Search Allowance scheme.
The assistance, it said, will be expedited once the review of Employment Insurance System (EIS) contribution records is completed, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.
Perkeso said it had met with company representatives yesterday to discuss early intervention measures to support the affected employees.
"They will also receive upskilling assistance based on individual needs and be informed of job vacancies and new employment opportunities through MYFutureJobs," the statement read.
Perkeso added that it will provide personalised employment services and career counselling through its Employment Services Officers to support the affected employees.
It was reported that ByteDance had laid off more than 500 staff in Malaysia. Employees had received termination letters via email from the company.
It was reported that most of them worked on content moderation on the platform, which is not just limited to Southeast Asia but other regions as well.
Earlier today, TikTok confirmed that it may lay off up to several hundred staff globally following its effort to further strengthen its global operating model for content moderation.