New guidelines for contract employees

I refer to the article “Guidelines released on leave benefits, notice period for contract employees” (Channel NewsAsia, Jun 20).

It states that “Under the new guidelines, employers are encouraged to treat contracts renewed within one month of the previous contract as continuous, and provide leave benefits based on the cumulative term of the contracts.”

Employers are encouraged to follow the guidelines?

Since employers are only encouraged to follow the new guidelines – how many of the “202,400 term contract employees last year, forming 11.3 per cent of the resident workforce” – will be treated fairly according to the new guidelines?

1 day notice of termination is “sufficient time”?

As to “Guidelines were also released on the notice period given to term contract employees. Those who have their contracts renewed on a recurrent basis should be given sufficient notice before their contract expires, the agencies said.

In the absence of an agreed notice period, the notice period should not be less than one day if the employee has been working for the company for a cumulative period of less than 26 weeks. This will allow sufficient time for either party to make alternative arrangements, the agencies said” – how can just “one day” be “will allow sufficient time for either party to make alternative arrangements”?

Leong Sze Hian