FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1977
LAW ON WORKERS ANNUAL LEAVE
EFFECTIVE FROM NEXT YEAR
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THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR. PETER WILLIAMS, TODAY (FRIDAY) DREW ATTENTION TO THE LAW PROVIDING SEVEN DAYS PAID ANNUAL LEAVE FOR WORKERS WHICH COMES INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1.
HE SAID ALL WORKERS COVERED BY THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE (ALL MANUAL WORKERS AND THOSE NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING NOT MORE THAN $2,000 A MONTH) WHO HAVE COMPLETED A YEAR'S SERVICE WITH AN EMPLOYER BEFORE JANUARY 1 WOULD BE ENTITLED TO ANNUAL LEAVE WITH PAY WITHIN THE FOLLOWING 12 MONTHS.
MR. WILLIAMS, WHO WAS SPEAKING TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON NORTH AT THE HONG KONG HOTEL, SAID: THE SPIRIT IS TO GIVE ALL EMPLOYEES A BREAK OF SEVEN DAYS FROM WORK TO ENABLE THEM TO REST AND TO RECHARGE THEIR BATTERIES.
+NEEDLESS TO SAY ANY ENACTMENT IN LAW IS ONLY AS GOOD AS THE SPIRIT IN WHICH IT IS MADE.+
MR. WILLIAMS SAID THAT AFTER EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES HAD EXPRESSED THE VIEW THAT SHUTTING DOWN A PLANT FOR SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS WOULD AFFECT PRODUCTION AND THAT NOT ALL EMPLOYEES WOULD WISH TO TAKE ALL THEIR ANNUAL LEAVE IN ONE GO, THE NEW LAW HAD BEEN AMENDED TO PERMIT THE COMBINATION OF PAID ANNUAL LEAVE WITH STATUTORY HOLIDAYS OR REST DAYS TO FORM A TOTAL OF SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
+ THE BREAK IS BASED ON SEVEN DAYS OF CONTINUOUS LEAVE FOR EVERY COMPLETED YEAR OF SERVICE, HE EXPLAINED.
+THOSE WHO HAD NOT COMPLETED THIS SERVICE SHOULD RECEIVE IT PRO RATA,+ HE SAID.
+HOWEVER, IF AN EMPLOYER PREFERS TO SHUT DOWN AN ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF GIVING EVERY EMPLOYEE SEVEN DAYS OFF THEN THOSE WHO DO NOT QUALIFY BECAUSE OF SHORTER SERVICE SHOULD NEVERTHELESS BE PAID FOR THOSE DAYS OF SHUT-DOWN WHICH ARE COUNTED AS ANNUAL LEAVE.
+ IF A SHORTER PERIOD OF ANNUAL LEAVE IS COMBINED WITH STATUTORY HOLIDAYS OR REST DAYS TO MAKE UP A TOTAL OF SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS, THEN ANY LEAVE BALANCE, PROVIDED IT HAS ALREADY BEEN EARNED, SHOULD BE CREDITED TO THE EMPLOYEE AND HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE IT AT SOME OTHER TIME DURING THE YEAR.+
REFERRING TO PUBLIC DEBATES IN THE PRESS AND ELSEWHERE MR. WILLIAMS SAID MANY VIEWS WERE EXPRESSED, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WORKERS DID NOT WANT LEAVE BUT WANTED EXTRA PAY- THAT WIVES PREFERRED HUSBANDS AT WORK AND THAT IF SO MANY WORKERS WERE OFF AT THE SAME TIME, THE RECREATIONAL FACILITIES WOULD BE OVERWHELMED AND SO ON.
+THERE MAY WELL BE SOME REASON BEHIND THESE VIEWS BUT ONE THING IS CERTAIN, THE GENERAL CONCENSUS IS THAT WORKERS WANT THE IR LEAVE AND FURTHERMORE IF WE DO NOT MAKE PROGRESS IN THESE AND OTHER SOCIAL FIELDS WE LEAVE OURSELVES OPEN TO CONSIDERABLE MORAL AND POLITICAL CRITICISM, + HE SAID.
/HR. WILLIANS ALSO