Since the outbreak of Covid-19, a lot of people have been working from home, and many have become freelancers. The idea might sound good on paper, but they faced many challenges from having limited access to government welfare and being underpaid and undervalued.
Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the Labour Ministry had organised a forum for people to voice their concerns, and how the employment conditions failed to live up to expectations.
During the pandemic, many people were laid off, and some companies were forced to halt or shut their doors. Currently, there is a rise of new jobs in the digital space for trade and services, which assisted with short-term employment contracts.
Independent workers like street vendors, freelancers and short term contractors relied on getting jobs through the internet. The downside is that they may be rejected if they need government welfare and benefits.
The study, which included 1,000 people from August 2020 to March 2021 found frequent unequal wages and unequal labour welfare problems. Organisations should provide clear agreements, define a minimum wage, and promote business and financial literacy among this labour group.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post