FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1977
LAW ON PAID ANNUAL LEAVE FOR WORKERS EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1
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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT THE NEW LAW PROVIDING SEVEN DAYS PAID ANNUAL LEAVE FOR WORKERS COMES INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1.
+ALL MANUAL WORKERS AND THOSE NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING NOT MORE THAN $2,000 A MONTH WHO HAVE COMPLETED A YEAR'S SERVICE WITH ONE EMPLOYER BY DECEMBER 31 THIS YEAR ARE ENTITLED TO PAID ANNUAL LEAVE DURING 1978, + A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SEVEN DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE WILL BE IN ADDITION TO THE 10 STATUTORY HOLIDAYS TO WHICH WORKERS ARE ALREADY ENTITLED BY LAW.
+ HOWEVER, HE SAID, THE LAW HAS BEEN MADE FLEXIBLE SO THAT A COMBINATION OF PAID ANNUAL LEAVE WITH STATUTORY HOLIDAYS OR REST DAYS TO FORM A TOTAL OF SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS IS ALLOWED PROVIDED THIS HAS BEEN AGREED TO BY BOTH PARTIES.
+ IN SUCH A CASE, THE BALANCE OF THE ANNUAL LEAVE CAN THEN BE GRANTED AS INDIVIDUAL PAID HOLIDAYS TO BE FIXED BY THE EMPLOYER IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EMPLOYEE.+
+ IN GRANTING THE ANNUAL LEAVE, THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED, +AN EMPLOYER MUST GIVE AT LEAST 14 DAYS NOTICE OF THE TIME APPOINTED FOR HIS EMPLOYEE TO TAKE HIS LEAVE.
+ON TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT, AN EMPLOYEE MUST BE GIVEN PRO RATA ANNUAL LEAVE PAY EXCEPT WHERE HIS RELEVANT PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT IS LESS THAN THREE MONTHS, OR IF HE IS DISMISSED FOR MISCONDUCT AND HIS RELEVANT PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT IS LESS THAN 12 MONTHS.
+APART FROM THESE CIRCUMSTANCES PAYMENT IN LIEU OF LEAVE IS PROHIBITED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.
THE LAW ALSO REQUIRES AN EMPLOYER TO KEEP RECORDS OF ANNUAL LEAVE TAKEN BY HIS STAFF AND TO POST A NOTICE OF ANY INTENTION TO CLOSE DOWN HIS BUSINESS TEMPORARILY FOR THE PURPOSE OF GRANTING ANNUAL LEAVE TO HIS EMPLOYEES.
IN SUCH AN EVENT, ANY EMPLOYEE WHO HAS NOT COMPLETED ONE YEAR'S SERVICE WOULD BE ENTITLED TO ANNUAL LEAVE WITH PAY FOR THE PERIOD OF THE SHUT DOWN, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED.
A LEAFLET EXPLAINING THE PROVISIONS OF REST DAYS, STATUTORY HOLIDAYS AND PAID ANNUAL LEAVE IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE CAN BE OBTAINED FREE OF CHARGE FROM ALL LABOUR DEPARTMENT AND C.D.O. OFFICES.
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