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Employment
Council (27 unions), the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions (85 unions), and the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (81 unions).
Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board
The Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board determines claims arising from disputes of statutory or contractual rights of employment that involve not more than 10 claimants in each. case and for sums not exceeding $8,000 per claimant. In 2014, the board dealt with 1,160 claims and granted awards amounting to $2.51 million.
Labour Tribunal
The Labour Tribunal is part of the Judiciary and is a quick, simple and inexpensive channel for adjudicating labour disputes that are not within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board. In 2014, 4,039 cases were filed with the tribunal, of which 3,942 were initiated by employees and 97 by employers. Of these, 91.7 per cent were referred to the tribunal by the Labour Department. The tribunal dealt with 4,710 cases and granted awards totalling more than $240 million, or 710 cases and $28 million less than those in 2013.
Employees' Rights and Benefits
The Employment Ordinance provides for various employment-related benefits and entitlements to employees. Over and above the statutory requirements, employers and employees are free to negotiate the terms and conditions of employment.
Labour Conditions
In general, children under 15 are prohibited by law from taking up employment. Children aged between 13 and 14 may work in non-industrial establishments under strict rules, while young people in the 15-17 age group may work in industrial establishments, subject to restrictions on their working hours.
Labour inspectors conduct workplace inspections to ensure employers' compliance with laws safeguarding workers' rights and benefits, and that employers have taken out employees' compensation insurance. Labour inspectors also check employees' proof of identity and collaborate with the Police and the Immigration Department to combat illegal employment. In 2014, 178 joint operations were carried out by the three departments.
Enforcement against Wage Offences
Apart from taking active steps to prevent wage defaults, the Labour Department also takes vigorous enforcement action against employers who fail to pay wages due to their employees. The department secured 304 convictions for wage offences during 2014. Two employers and one company director were sentenced to imprisonment and another company director was ordered to perform community service as a result of wage defaults.
In addition, employers who wilfully and without reasonable excuse fail to pay wages or other entitlements awarded by the Labour Tribunal or Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board, are liable to criminal prosecution under the Employment Ordinance. In 2014, the department
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