EMPLOYMENT
The Labour Relations Division endeavours to promote harmonious labour-management relations in the private sector through a variety of activities such as promotional visits to individual establishments, employers' associations and employees' trade unions; organising training courses, seminars and exhibitions; and publishing newsletters, information leaflets and pamphlets on a wide range of labour matters. Four territory-wide seminars on case studies of the Employment Ordinance and two seminars on the community-wide retirement protection system were organised in 1992. These seminars attracted 1 000 participants.
Two industry-wide committees comprising representatives from employers' associations, trade unions and government have been set up in the catering and construction industries to provide meeting points for relevant parties to discuss labour relations matters of mutual
concern.
The Labour Tribunal
The Labour Tribunal, which is part of the judiciary, is intended to provide a quick, inexpensive and informal method of adjudicating certain types of disputes between employees and employers.
In 1992, the tribunal heard 3 949 cases involving employees as claimants, and a further 426 cases initiated by employers. More than $42 million was awarded by the presiding officers. Of these cases, 87 per cent were referred by the Labour Relations Service after unsuccessful conciliation attempts.
Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund
The Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund is financed by an annual levy of $250 on each business registration certificate. Employees who are owed wages and other termination benefits by their insolvent employers may apply to the fund for ex-gratia payment. It covers wages not exceeding $8,000 for services rendered during a period of four months preceding the date of application. It also covers seven days' wages in lieu of notice, up to $2,000. In respect of severance payment, it covers an applicant's entitlement in full up to $8,000 (which is the priority claim limit in a winding-up or bankruptcy) plus 50 per cent of his entitlement in excess of $8,000.
Finding Employment
The Employment Services Division of the Labour Department provides free placement services to help employers recruit staff and job-seekers to find suitable employment. Its Local Employment Service operates from 10 offices which are linked by a facsimile system for the rapid exchange of vacancy information. Starting from 1992, employers wishing to employ foreign workers under the importation of labour scheme are required to notify the service of vacancies. This requirement ensures that local job-seekers have priority to fill those vacancies.
As a result of economic restructuring in recent years, there is a growing need for local workers to be retrained so that they can obtain employment in another trade or a higher level job in the same trade. During the year, the government established an Employees Retraining Scheme which was financed by a levy imposed on employers of imported workers. Under this scheme, a local employee undergoing retraining is paid a retraining allowance. The Employees Retraining Board comprising representatives of employers,
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