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Legislative Council shortly afterwards,
Thie will be followed by the
Industrial Relations Bill which it is hoped will come forward by the
end of this year. Between these items, various minor pieces of
legislation will also be introduced.
Substantial legislative changes are embodied in these 3 major
hills, and are likely to lead to increased manufacturing costs.
Employment Bill
6.
It is intended that it should replace in part the Employers and
Servants Ordinance by making more precise provisions regarding the
termination of employment, particularly in the case of unwritten contracts of service. The changes arise from difficulties which have
been experienced in the interpretation of existing law. The present
ceilings of cash remuneration in contracts of service are being raised
to take account of the increase in wage rates which has taken place
since the original legislation was enacted. A new part will be added to amplify existing provisions designed to ensure that wages are paid
without improper deductions. The bill will be so framed as to enable
additional parts to be added as and when agreement is reached on them
untill the whole comprises a comprehensive employment ordinance,
7.
Workmen's Compensation (Amendment) Bill
The main features of this are:-
(a) to extend the benefits of compensation to non-manual workers
(manual workers are already covered regardless of wages
earned);
(b) to include domestic servants, who are now excluded; (c) to prescribe additional compensation for permanent total
incapacity requiring the constant help of another person; (d) to increase periodical payments to a rate of two-thirds
instead of one half of former monthly earnings, in accordance
with ILO recommendations and established practice elsewhere;
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