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Wednesday, September 5, 1973
STATUTORY HOLIDAY FOR INDUSTRIAL WORKERS
The Commissioner of Labour, Mr. I.R. Price, today reminded
employers that Wednesday, September 12, the day following the Chinese
Mid-Autumn Festival, is, one of the six statutory holidays to which
industrial workers are entitled under the Industrial Employment (Holidays
with Pay and Sickness Allowance) Ordinance.
Mr. Price said that with few exceptions, all manual workers in
industrial undertakings paid on a monthly, daily or piece-rate basis must
be given a holiday on September 12. Non-manual workers in industrial
undertakings earning not more than $700 a month have the same right.
To qualify for this paid holiday, which is in addition to the
compulsory four rest days a month under the Employment Ordinance, a worker
must have worked at least 170 days during a period of 12 months, and at
least 20 days in the 28 days preceding September 12.
A worker who does not qualify must also be given a holiday but
has no statutory entitlement to be paid although an employer may voluntarily
agree to do so.
"An employer may grant a holiday on another day instead of
September 12 but he must do so within 60 days after that date and must
post a notice of his intention at least 48 hours in advance," Mr. Price said.
He said that an employer who granted more than six paid holidays a
year was still required to comply with the ordinance but, by agreement with
a worker, he could designate one of the paid holidays as a substitute for
the statutory holiday.
/Mr. Price