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Employment
injured employees, or family members of deceased employees to obtain compensation from defaulting employers. The scheme is financed by a levy imposed on all employees' compensation insurance policies taken out by employers.
Pneumoconiosis and/or mesothelioma sufferers are eligible for compensation under the Pneumoconiosis and Mesothelioma (Compensation) Ordinance administered by the Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board. Those diagnosed to have contracted pneumoconiosis before the ordinance became effective in 1981 may apply for ex gratia benefits from the Government under the Pneumoconiosis Ex Gratia Scheme. As at 31 December 2012, 1,806 pneumoconiosis and/or mesothelioma sufferers were receiving payments under either the ordinance or the ex gratia scheme. Family members of 71 pneumoconiosis and/or mesothelioma sufferers who died from the diseases were also granted compensation during the year.
The 'Occupational Deafness Compensation Board' administers the Occupational Deafness Compensation Scheme which provides compensation for persons employed in specified noisy Occupations who suffer hearing loss as a result of prolonged exposure to excessive noise at work, and the reimbursement of expenditure incurred on hearing assistive devices. In 2012, the board approved 173 compensation applications and paid out $9.23 million in compensation. It also approved 524 applications for hearing assistive devices, costing $1.82 million, and provided 290 rehabilitation programmes for people with impaired hearing caused by their jobs.
Retirement Protection
All employees, except those who are not required by law to join a local retirement scheme, are provided with some form of retirement protection under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance or other retirement schemes, such as those regulated under the Occupational Retirement Schemes Ordinance and other statutory pension plans.
Statutory Minimum Wage
Low-income employees have enjoyed a marked improvement in pay since the introduction of the statutory minimum wage (SMW) in May 2011. In 2012, the Labour Department organised various publicity activities to familiarise the community with the SMW legislation and labour inspectors visited businesses throughout Hong Kong to make sure employers were complying with the law.
The Minimum Wage Commission (MWC) is an independent statutory body established under the Minimum Wage Ordinance. Its main function is to recommend the SMW rate to the Chief Executive in Council when required by the Chief Executive to do so. In October 2012, the MWC submitted a recommendation to increase the SMW rate from $28 per hour to $30 per hour. That was accepted by the Government and, subject to the Legislative Council's approval of the relevant subsidiary legislation, the revised SMW rate will take effect from 1 May 2013, that is the Labour Day.
Employment Agencies
The Employment Agencies Administration Office enforces Part XII of the Employment Ordinance and the Employment Agency Regulations which empower it to issue licences to
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