Hartalega completes remediation of migrant labourers

Kuala Lumpur – Hartalega Holdings Berhad has paid a remediation sum of RM41 million (€8.1 million) to its migrant labourers as part of its ‘zero recruitment cost policy’.

In an 8 June announcement, the Malaysian glove maker said the reimbursement process started in November 2020 and was completed 4 June. 

The group launched its zero recruitment cost policy in April 2019 and this latest round of reimbursement was made to workers who joined the group prior to the implementation of the policy, Hartalega said.

In addition, Hartalega said that it will reimburse labourers who joined the group under the zero recruitment cost policy but were asked to pay an employment fee to agents.

As part of this, the gloves manufacturer has established four checkpoints – during the interview stage in the source country, before departure to Malaysia, arrival in Malaysia and three months into employment – to ensure that workers are not required to pay any fees.

Hartalega went on to say that it was aware that there could still be workers that may not have reported any payments that they may have made. 

“As such the group is engaging with current workers to countercheck on this matter,” it added.

Furthermore, Hartalega said that it has rolled out the next phase of its remediation programme, which will extend the scheme to former workers of Hartalega who left the company on or after the zero recruitment cost policy was implemented.