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APAC Edition
25th March 2025
 
THE HOT STORY
Mothers find flexible jobs at China fair
Duan Yi, a 30-year-old former homemaker, recently secured a job as a data entry clerk at a flexible employment fair in Chongqing. After closing her small shop due to economic challenges, she sought a role that allowed her to balance work and family. The fair, co-hosted by the Chongqing Employment Service Bureau and other local organisations, featured around 100 companies offering 5,000 jobs, with over 2,000 positions labelled as “mother-friendly.” These roles are designed to accommodate women with caregiving responsibilities, providing flexible hours. Li Fangsheng, a manager at Chongqing Youjipin Human Resources Management, noted the importance of hiring mothers, saying: “In the hospitality industry, we particularly welcome mothers to take advantage of the flexible working hours.” The initiative aims to support women in balancing employment and family duties, contributing to a fertility-friendly society.
WORKFORCE
Ather Energy rewards staff with Esops
Ather Energy is set to grant employee stock options (Esops) to over 1,300 employees, valued at approximately Rs 7 crore, as part of its preparations for an IPO expected in the first quarter of FY26. During a recent town hall, founder and chief executive Tarun Mehta stated that the Esop programme aims to recognise contributions across the organisation, not just for senior leadership, which comprises about 6%-7% of the workforce. The allocation structure includes standard grants and additional units based on tenure. Esops are increasingly being used as a retention strategy among Indian start-ups, aligning employee incentives with business growth. Ather's IPO plan includes a fresh issue of equity shares worth Rs 3,100 crore and an offer-for-sale of 2.2 crore shares by promoters and investors, as detailed in its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP).
Optimising workforce expectations in Hong Kong
KPMG China's latest Hong Kong Employment Outlook survey reveals a cautious employment market, with C-level executives showing slight optimism for 2025. David Siew, Head of People Services, Tax, KPMG China, said: "Organisations will need to strike a balance between the optimisation of their operations and the evolving expectations of the workforce for long-term success." Key findings indicate that while 76% of C-suites are optimistic about maintaining or increasing headcount, overall hiring expectations have decreased slightly. Additionally, 74% of respondents anticipate a pay rise, down from 78% the previous year. The report also highlights the growing importance of talent management, with 39% of respondents prioritising stability in their job choices. Furthermore, 65% of organisations are either operating in or planning to expand into the Greater Bay Area, leveraging a deep talent pool from the region.
Australian job market takes a hit
Australia's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.1% in February, despite a loss of 52,800 jobs, significantly below the expected increase of 30,000. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported a decline in labour force participation to 66.8%, down from a record high of 67.3% in January. Bjorn Jarvis, head of labour statistics at ABS, noted: "This follows higher levels of employment in these age groups in recent years." The drop in employment was particularly evident among older workers, while those aged 15-54 continued to see job growth. The Reserve Bank anticipates the unemployment rate will average 4.2% by mid-year and remain stable in the coming years.
LEGAL
RFA staff face unpaid leave crisis
Radio Free Asia (RFA) has announced that hundreds of its US-based staff will be placed on unpaid leave following the Trump administration's termination of its grant funding. RFA spokesperson Rohit Mahajan described the decision as "unlawful" and stated that the outlet is pursuing legal action. The funding cuts, which also affect Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America, could reduce RFA's workforce from over 300 to about 75. Mahajan emphasised the urgency of the situation, saying, "We have very little funding left to pay our staff." RFA chief executive Bay Fang has argued that the funding termination violates US law and the terms of RFA's grant agreement.
STRATEGY
New data centres planned by Microsoft Malaysia
Microsoft Malaysia is set to launch three data centres in the greater Kuala Lumpur area by the end of the second quarter, marking its first cloud region in the country, following a $2.2bn investment announced last year to boost cloud and artificial intelligence services. The initiative, dubbed Malaysia West cloud, is expected to generate $10.9bn in revenue and over 37,000 jobs in the next four years, with managing director Laurence Si noting that it will help "local businesses and organisations innovate faster and more securely" while positioning Malaysia as a hub for tech growth in Southeast Asia.
CORPORATE
Toys R Us teeters on brink of collapse
Toys R Us, once one of Australia's leading children's toy and clothing retailers, is struggling to stay afloat after a significant decline in sales. The company, which transitioned to an online-only retailer following its collapse in 2018 with debts of approximately A$95m, reported first-half sales of just A$3.1m, down from A$5.9m the previous year. Auditors have warned the company could soon run out of funds, leaving its future in the balance.
INTERNATIONAL
JPMorgan faces lawsuit over health benefits
JPMorgan Chase is facing a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging mismanagement of employee health benefits. The lawsuit accuses the bank of failing its employees by agreeing to overcharges in prescription drugs by the company's pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), CVS Caremark, which sets the drug prices for JPMorgan Chase's employee health plans. For instance, the multiple sclerosis drug teriflunomide was allegedly bought for $6,229, while it can be purchased for around $30 at retail pharmacies. The lawsuit argues that JPMorgan Chase has abandoned its "fiduciary responsibility" under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) by allowing these overcharges. "No prudent fiduciary would agree or allow for its plan and participants/beneficiaries pay a price that is more than two hundred times higher than the price available to any individual who just walks into a pharmacy and pays out-of-pocket, and five hundred sixty times higher than the price available with just a few clicks online," the lawsuit states. JPMorgan Chase has declined to comment on the matter.
Tesla workers demand longer breaks
At Tesla's Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg in Germany, approximately 3,000 workers have signed a petition demanding longer breaks and increased staffing, despite the company reporting that around 80% of employees are satisfied with their jobs. The IG Metall union plans to present the petition, signed by 3,086 staff, at an upcoming works council meeting. Tesla conducted its own survey of about 7,500 workers, and said that only 5% expressed dissatisfaction. As production of the new Model Y ramps up, Tesla is converting 300 temporary workers to permanent positions, but union representatives remain concerned about whether this will suffice to meet production demands.
Hungary bans Pride events, escalates crackdown
Hungarian lawmakers have enacted a law prohibiting Pride events and permitting the use of facial recognition technology to identify attendees. The legislation, passed with a 136-27 vote, amends existing assembly laws to penalise participation in events that contravene Hungary's controversial “child protection” law, which restricts the depiction of homosexuality to minors. Fines for attending such events can reach up to 200,000 Hungarian forints ($546). Budapest Pride organisers slammed the law, saying “This is not child protection, this is fascism,” and vowed to fight for the rights of all Hungarians to demonstrate. The law is part of a broader trend of repressive measures against the LGBTQ+ community under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government, which has faced criticism from rights groups and the European Union for its discriminatory policies.
OTHER
Vietnam withdraws dolls over South China Sea map
Chinese-made “Baby Three dolls,” which became a must-have among Vietnamese children and also Generation Z earlier this year, have been pulled from shops in Vietnam over a facial mark that supposedly resembles Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea. The Straits Times notes that vendors in Hanoi say that most of the offending dolls had been pulled from shelves, "but their once-booming business has been shattered, with sales of all models vastly down." Similar problems have affected the website of Chagee, a Chinese milk tea brand which was due to open its first store in Vietnam, and the fantasy comedy film Barbie, which was banned from cinemas.
 


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