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Govt bans employers from holding onto workers’ graduation certificates
The manpower minister issued a circular to ban what has been common practice at many workplaces and signaled that such protection could be enshrined in a forthcoming ministerial regulation or an amended Manpower Law.
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Women factory workers are pictured in an undated photo. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
M
anpower Minister Yassierli has issued a circular to all provincial governors ordering a ban on the controversial practice of companies withholding employees’ graduation certificates or other personal documents to discourage resignations.
The prohibition extends to skill certifications, passports, birth and marriage certificates, as well as vehicle ownership documents.
Some companies have resorted to such a tactic as a way to keep employees from jumping ship, knowing that without these documents workers would struggle to apply for jobs elsewhere.
“Employers are strictly prohibited from obstructing or preventing workers from seeking better job opportunities,” the minister emphasized in the circular dated Tuesday.
“[However,] prospective employees must also pay close attention to the terms of their employment contracts, especially clauses related to the handover of personal documents.”
The minister also signaled that these protections could be enshrined in a forthcoming ministerial regulation or folded into a future amendment of the Manpower Law.
The circular follows a high-profile probe launched by Surabaya Mayor Armuji in April, which exposed a company that had been holding onto the graduation certificates of dozens of workers, igniting public outrage and prompting calls for government action.
