SATURDAY, JULY 26, 1980
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EMPLOYERS REMINDED OF FLOATING HOLIDAY
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A LABOUR DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN TODAY (SATURDAY) REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT IF THEY HAVE NOT DESIGNATED A DATE FOR THE FLOATING HOLIDAY AND HAVE NOT GIVEN THE IR EMPLOYEES A DAY OFF ON JULY 1 (THE FIRST WEEK-DAY IN JULY), THEY SHOULD GIVE THE STAFF THE DAY OFF ON AUGUST 4 (THE FIRST MONDAY IN AUGUST).
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UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, THE FLOATING HOLIDAY - ONE OF THE 10 STATUTORY HOLIDAYS IN A YEAR MUST BE DESIGNATED BY EMPLOYERS AND NOTIFIED TO EMPLOYEES BY A NOTICE PLACED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE BY THE END OF THE PRECEDING YEAR.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT UNDER THE ORDINANCE ALL MANUAL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING DOMESTIC SERVANTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THEIR EARNINGS, AND ALL NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING NOT MORE THAN $3 500 A MONTH, ARE ENTITLED TO THE HOLIDAY.
THEY MUST ALSO BE PAID FOR THE DAY OFF IF THEY HAD WORKED CONTINUOUSLY FOR THREE MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE STATUTORY HOLIDAY.
HOLIDAY PAY SHOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO THE EMPLOYEE'S EARNINGS, OTHER THAN OVERTIME PAY, ON A NORMAL WORKING DAY. WHERE THE EARNINGS VARIED FROM DAY TO DAY, HOLIDAY PAY SHOULD BE THE AVERAGE OF THE DAILY EARNINGS DURING A PERIOD OF 28 DAYS PRECEDING THE HOLIDAY. PAYMENT SHOULD BE MADE ON THE NORMAL PAY DAY.
IF AN EMPLOYEE WAS REQUIRED TO WORK ON THE HOLIDAY, THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED, HE MUST BE GIVEN AN ALTERNATIVE DAY OFF WITHIN 60 DAYS BEFORE OR AFTER THAT DAY.
IF THE ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY WAS TO BE GRANTED BEFORE THE STATUTORY HOLIDAY, THE EMPLOYER MUST NOTIFY THE EMPLOYEE 46 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY, IN THE CASE WHERE AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY WAS TO BE GIVEN AFTER STATUTORY HOLIDAY, THE EMPLOYEE MUST BE NOTIFIED OF THE ARRANGEMENT AT LEAST 48 HOURS BEFORE THE STATUTORY HOLIDAY.
IF BOTH EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE AGREE, ANY DAY WITHIN 30 DAYS OF A STATUTORY HOLIDAY OR ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY COULD BE TAKEN BY THE EMPLOYEE AS A SUBSTITUTED HOLIDAY, HE SAID.
ENQUIRIES ABOUT STATUTORY HOLIDAYS COULD BE MADE TO THE NEAREST BRANCH OFFICE OF THE LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE. THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS ARE FOR KOWLOON EAST 3-205638- KOWLOON WEST 3-201652- KWUN TONG 3-898520- TSUEN WAN 12-422096- TUEN MUN 12-818443 AND HONG KONG ISLAND 5-282523 EXT. 60.
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