MONDAY, JULY 27, 1981
- 7 -
REMINDER ON FLOATING HOLIDAY
****
EMPLOYERS ARE REMINDED TODAY THAT IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY 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 3 (THE FIRST MONDAY IN AUGUST).
UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, THE FLOATING HOLIDAY - THE 10 STATUTORY HOLIDAYS IN A YEAR - MUST BE DESIGNATED BY EMPLOYERS AND MADE KNOWN TO EMPLOYEES BY NOTICE PLACED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE BY THE END OF THE PRECEDING YEAR, A LABOUR DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID.
ONE OF
UNDER THE ORDINANCE, ALL MANUAL EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING DOMESTIC SERVANTS, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE IR EARNINGS, AND ALL NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING NOT MORE THAN $6 000 A MONTH, ARE ENTITLED TO THE HOLIDAY, HE SAID.
THEY MUST ALSO BE PAID FOR THE DAY OFF IF THEY HAVE WORKED CONTINUOUSLY FOR THREE MONTHS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE STATUTORY HOLIDAY.
HOLIDAY PAY SHOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO THE EMPLOYEES' EARNINGS, OTHER THAN OVERTIME PAY, ON A NORMAL WORKING DAY. WHERE THE EARNINGS VARY 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 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF THE ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY. IN THE CASE WHERE AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY WAS TO BE GIVEN AFTER THE 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 MAY 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 0-422096- TUEN MUN 0-818443 AND HONG KONG ISLAND 5-282523 EXT. 60.
/8