What PERKESO Offers After Job Loss
You lost your job and want to know what support you can apply for.
PERKESO’s Employment Insurance System is a government support route that sits alongside any dismissal claim you may bring.
What is PERKESO’s EIS?
PERKESO, the Social Security Organisation, runs the Employment Insurance System, known locally as EIS or SIP. It supports workers who lose their jobs involuntarily.
That includes retrenchment, company closure and an accepted voluntary or mutual separation scheme. It gives temporary financial help while you search for new work.
What does EIS provide?
The main benefit is a Job Search Allowance, paid for three to six months while you look for work.1 Other support includes reduced-income assistance, an early re-employment incentive and training help.
This is separate from any compensation your employer might owe if your dismissal itself was unfair.
When do you need to apply?
Apply within 60 days of losing your job to access EIS benefits.2 That is a different deadline from the 60 days you have to file a Section 20 unfair dismissal representation.
Both windows count from around the same moment, so treat them as two separate tasks.
Can you pursue EIS and an unfair dismissal claim together?
EIS is a government income support scheme, separate from a claim that your dismissal lacked just cause or excuse. You can pursue both, since they solve different problems.
If your job loss involved retrenchment, how you were selected is a separate question worth raising too.
What should you do this week?
Check your EIS eligibility and apply promptly, since the window is short. At the same time, check your Section 20 deadline if you believe your dismissal was unfair.
If you think your dismissal was unfair, send what happened to an independent employment lawyer. They can review your situation and reply about whether and how they can act.
If you were retrenched or your job ended involuntarily and you think it was unfair, an independent employment lawyer can review how it ended. They can act on a claim alongside your EIS application if you have grounds.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
What exactly does PERKESO's EIS pay for?
It provides temporary income support while you search for work. This includes a Job Search Allowance for three to six months, plus reduced-income assistance, an early re-employment incentive and training support.
Is the EIS 60-day deadline the same as the unfair dismissal deadline?
No, they are separate. EIS asks you to apply within 60 days of losing your job. A Section 20 unfair dismissal representation has its own 60-day window, counted the same way but filed with a different body.
Can I claim EIS if I resigned voluntarily?
EIS is designed for involuntary job loss, such as retrenchment, company closure or an accepted separation scheme. A voluntary resignation generally does not qualify, so check your specific circumstances carefully.
If I also believe my dismissal was unfair, do I have to choose between EIS and a claim?
No. EIS is a government income support scheme, separate from an unfair dismissal claim. You can pursue both, since they address different needs at the same time.
Sources
- Under the Employment Insurance System Act 2017, PERKESO's Employment Insurance System gives temporary financial help, including a Job Search Allowance for three to six months, to workers who lose their jobs involuntarily. malaysia.gov.my, Employment Insurance System (EIS) assistance under PERKESO
- A retrenched or laid-off worker should apply for Employment Insurance System benefits within 60 days of losing their job. malaysia.gov.my, Employment Insurance System (EIS) assistance under PERKESO
Keep reading
If you were retrenched or your job ended involuntarily and you think it was unfair, an independent employment lawyer can review how it ended. They can act on a claim alongside your EIS application if you have grounds.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.