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EMPLOYMENT
secondary or professional qualifications. During the year, 388 people found employment through this service.
The Selective Placement Division provides a free employment counselling and placement service to physically handicapped, mentally retarded and ex-mentally ill persons seeking open employment. The service operates from three offices in Hong Kong, Kowloon and the New Territories.
The placement of socially maladjusted job-seekers is still the responsibility of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and other voluntary agencies. During the year, the Selective Placement Division launched a series of activities to publicise its work and to promote the employability of the disabled. In 1986, some 1 000 disabled persons were placed in employment.
Careers Guidance
The Youth Employment Advisory Service of the Labour Department provides careers guidance to young people through various programmes and activities. In 1986, officers of the service delivered 469 careers talks in 231 schools and six voluntary agencies, covering an audience of 78 787. Careers conventions and careers projects were organised jointly with the Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters and the Vocational Training Council. The 15th annual careers exhibition organised by the service attracted 96 000 visitors. In addition, a Work Orientation Programme which comprised 28 visits to various establishments in the private and public sectors was organised and some 700 students took part.
To promote careers education, the service organises training programmes for careers teachers in co-operation with the Education Department. It also produces various careers publications which are distributed free of charge to schools, youth centres and other interested persons.
At present, the service operates three careers information centres, each equipped with a reference library and audio-visual recordings of information on employment and training opportunities. In 1986, some 39 195 students and young people visited the centres and made use of the facilities there.
Overseas Employment
The Contracts for Overseas Employment Ordinance was retitled the Contracts for Employment Outside Hong Kong Ordinance in July 1985. It controls contracts entered into in Hong Kong between employers, or their authorised representatives, and manual workers who are required to work outside Hong Kong. Such contracts must be attested by the Commissioner for Labour before the workers leave Hong Kong. An employer or his agent who fails to comply with the provision is liable on conviction to a fine of $50,000. During the year 256 contracts were attested, compared with 440 in 1985.
Foreign Domestic Helpers
The employment conditions of foreign domestic helpers, the majority of whom come from the Philippines, are controlled by the administrative requirement that their employment contracts must be attested by the Labour Department.
During the year, 28 586 such contracts were attested. The department is also responsible for conciliation of disputes arising from the employment of these domestic helpers. In 1986, 382 claims, 673 consultations and 43 755 enquiries were handled.