EMPLOYMENT
Labour Legislation
The Commissioner for Labour is the principal adviser to the government on labour affairs. He initiates proposals to enact new labour laws and amend existing ones. The government's labour policy is to achieve a level of safety, health and welfare for employees in Hong Kong broadly equivalent to those provided in neighbouring countries at a similar stage of economic development.
During 1995, 14 pieces of labour legislation were enacted. Among them, the Occupational Deafness (Compensation) Ordinance set up a compensation scheme for workers suffering from noise-induced deafness by reason of their employment. The Employment Ordinance was amended to improve the provisions on severance payment and long service payment by increasing the years of reckonable service for the calculation of the payment and raising the payment ceiling. The rate of payment for female employees taking maternity leave was increased from two-thirds to four- fifths.
The Employees' Compensation Ordinance was amended to make compensable an accident happening to an employee while travelling between Hong Kong and his place of work outside Hong Kong by means of transport arranged by or agreed with his employers for the purposes of and in connection with his employment. The levels of compensation under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance were raised, effective from January 1,
1996.
Enforcement of Legislation
During 1995, there were 8 978 prosecutions for breaches of various ordinances and regulations administered by the department. Fines totalling $47,831,262 were imposed.
Labour Advisory Board
The Labour Advisory Board, a non-statutory body, was set up to provide a forum for consultation on labour policies and legislation. It has six members representing employers and another six representing employees. The Commissioner for Labour, or his deputy, is the ex-officio chairman.
To cope with the increasing range and complexity of work and to encourage greater participation by employers and employees, committees have been set up under the board on special subjects including employment services, industrial safety and health, labour relations, employees' compensation and the implementation of international labour standards. The views of the employers and employees canvassed through consultation with the board help to formulate a progressive programme of labour legislation for the benefit of all concerned.
International Labour Standards
The International Labour Conventions of the International Labour Organisation prescribe standards on matters such as labour administration, employment rights, and occupational safety and health to be modelled on by the member states. These conventions have significant influence on the formulation of labour legislation in the territory. At the end of 1995, Hong Kong applied 49 conventions which compared favourably with most members of the International Labour Organisation in the
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