THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1978
12
MINIMUM EMPLOYMENT AGE REQUIREMENT TO BE EXTENDED
TO NON-INDUSTRIAL SECTOR
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PREPARATORY WORK ON LEGISLATION TO EXTEND THE MINIMUM EMPLOYMENT AGE OF 14 TO THE NON-INDUSTRIAL SECTOR IS WELL IN HAND AND IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ENACT IT NEXT YEAR, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, THE HON. NEIL HENDERSON, SAID TODAY. THIS, HE ADDED, WOULD MAKE A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION BY HONG KONG TO THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE CHILD.
SPEAKING IN THE RESUMED LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DEBATE, MR. HENDERSON SAID THIS MOVE WOULD BE FOLLOWED BY THE RAISING OF THE MINIMUM EMPLOYMENT AGE IN ALL SECTORS TO 15 IN LATE 1980. IT WOULD BE MADE POSSIBLE BY DEVELOPMENTS IN SECONDARY EDUCATION MAKING NINE YEARS OF EDUCATION COMPULSORY.
TURNING TO OTHER ITEMS OF LEGISLATION, MR. HENDERSON SAID WORK IS IN PROGRESS TO RAISE THE WAGE CEILING IN THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE FROM $2,000 A MONTH TO $5,000, ALTHOUGH A LOWER FIGURE WOULD APPLY FOR THE CALCULATION OF THE MAXIMUM FIGURE FOR SEVERANCE PAY.
+TH IS HE SAID, +WILL EXTEND THE PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THIS ORDINANCE TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF HONG KONG'S WAGE AND SALARY EARNERS.+
REFERRING TO THE ANNUAL LEAVE LEGISLATION BROUGHT INTO FORCE IN JANUARY THIS YEAR, MR. HENDERSON SAID ON THE WHOLE IT HAD WORKED WELL AND ALREADY HAD A HIGHER DEGREE OF SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE THAN HE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED.
HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME AMBIGUITIES WHICH CAME TO LIGHT IN PRACTICE AND SOME MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE LEGISLATION WOULD BE PROPOSED FOR ENACTMENT BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.
WITH REGARD TO WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION, THE COMMISSIONER SAID THE WORKING PARTY THAT WAS SET UP IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR TO REVIEW THE ORDINANCE HAD NEARLY FINISHED ITS TASK AND WOULD BE SUBMITTING ITS REPORT NEXT MONTH.
ITS RECOMMENDATIONS WERE LIKELY TO INCLUDE THE EXTENSION OF THE ORDINANCE TO COVER ALL EMPLOYEES AND THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPULSORY INSURANCE,
SEVERAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF ASSESSING COMPENSATION TO ENSURE THAT ALL RELEVANT FACTORS WERE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN ASSESSING AN INJURED EMPLOYEE'S LOSS OF EARNING CAPACITY WERE ALSO ENVISAGED.
TUS OTHER