SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 1977
EMPLOYERS REMINDED OF STATUTORY HOLIDAYS
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THE ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. LAO MOU-CHI TODAY REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT WITH THE COMING INTO FORCE OF THE
THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1976 ON JANUARY 1 THIS YEAR, NUMBER OF STATUTORY HOLIDAYS FOR WORKERS HAD BEEN INCREASED FROM SIX TO TEN.
THE TEN STATUTORY HOLIDAYS TO WHICH ALL MANUAL EMPLOYEES IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR EARNINGS AND ALL NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING NOT MORE THAN $2,000 A MONTH ARE ENTITLED ARE THE FIRST DAY OF JANUARY, LUNAR NEW YEAR'S DAY, THE SECOND DAY OF LUNAR NEW YEAR, THE THIRD DAY OF LUNAR NEW YEAR, THE CHING MING FESTIVAL, THE TUEN NG (DRAGON BOAT) FESTIVAL, THE 'DAY FOLLOWING THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL, THE CHUNG YEUNG FESTIVAL, THE CHINESE WINTER SOLSTICE FESTIVAL OR CHRISTMAS DAY AND A FLOATING HOLIDAY DESIGNATED BY THE EMPLOYER.
MR. LAO POINTED OUT THAT IF AN EMPLOYER WAS UNABLE TO GIVE HIS EMPLOYEE A DAY OFF ON ANY STATUTORY HOLIDAY, HE MUST GIVE HIM AT LEAST 48 HOURS' NOTICE AND MUST GIVE HIM AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE STATUTORY HOLIDAY,
IF AN EMPLOYEE HAD WORKED CONTINUOUSLY FOR HIS EMPLOYER FOR THREE MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING A STATUTORY HOLIDAY, HE MUST ALSO BE PAID FOR THE DAY OFF.
ON STATUTORY HOLIDAY PAY, HE EXPLAINED THAT THE DAILY RATE OF HOLIDAY PAY SHOULD BE A SUM EQUIVALENT TO THE NORMAL WAGES, OTHER THAN OVERTIME PAY, FOR THAT DAY.
IF AN EMPLOYEE IS EMPLOYED ON PIECE RATES OR WHERE THE DAILY WAGES OF AN EMPLOYEE VARY FROM DAY TO DAY, THE HOLIDAY PAY SHALL BE A SUM EQUIVALENT TO THE AVERAGE DAILY WAGES EARNED BY HIM ON THE DAYS ON WHICH HE HAD WORKED DURING THE PERIOD OF 28 DAYS PRECEDING THE STATUTORY HOLIDAY.
MR. LAO WARNED THAT IT WOULD BE AN OFFENCE AGAINST THE LAW FOR AN EMPLOYER TO INDUCE HIS EMPLOYEE TO ACCEPT A SUM LESSER THAN THE AVERAGE DAILY WAGES AS STATUTORY HOLIDAY PAY.
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