WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1982.
22
BETTER BENEFITS SEEN FOR WORKERS
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THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1982 WOULD BE ANOTHER GREAT STEP FORWARD IN IMPROVING EMPLOYEES' BENEFITS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, AT A COST THAT EMPLOYERS COULD BEAR, DR THE HON HARRY FANG, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
+TO THOSE WHO SEEK EXTRA BENEFITS NOT YET COVERED IN THE BILL, I WOULD URGE THAT THEY ACCEPT IT AS A NEW AND BETTER PLATFORM UPON WHICH FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE BUILT WHEN THE TIME COMES.
+AND TO THOSE WHO MAINTAIN THAT THE BILL WOULD COST EMPLOYERS MORE AND HENCE WEAKEN THEIR COMPETITIVENESS, I WOULD ASK THEM TO THINK IN TERMS OF HIGHER OUTPUT FROM A MORE CONTENDED WORKFORCE AS A RESULT OF THE IMPROVED BENEFITS, DR FANG SAID.
SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL, DR FANG SAID THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS' SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC SERVICES GROUPS HAD RECEIVED REPRESENTATIONS FROM VARIOUS QUARTERS AND LATER MET TO DISCUSS THE. POINTS IN DETAIL, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
DESCRIBING THE BILL AS +A COMPLEX ONE+, HE REFERRED PARTICULARLY TO TWO POINTS.
THE FIRST POINT CONCERNED THE PROPOSED TWO-TIER SYSTEM OF EMPLOYEES COMPENSATION ASSESSMENT 3OARDS, NAMELY THE ORDINARY ASSESSMENT BOARD AND THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT BOARD.
HE WAS REASONABLY SATISFIED, HE SAID, WITH THE COMPOSITION OF THE ORDINARY ASSESSMENT BOARD, WHICH WOULD CONSIST OF TWO PERSONS, EITHER A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER OR A REGISTERED DENTIST, AND A LABOUR CFFICER. THIS MEANT THAT THE BOARD WOULD COMPRISE MEMBERS NOT NECESSARILY FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
BUT HE WAS CONCERNED, HOWEVER, THAT THE SPECIAL ASSESSMENT BOARD, WHICH WILL CONSIST OF AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH CONSULTANT (CR OFFICER), A SENIOR LABOUR OFFICER, AND A LABOUR OFFICER FROM THE ORDINARY ASSESSMENT BOARD, WOULD NOT INCLUDE MEMBERS WHO ARE EXPERTS OUTSIDE OF THE GOVERNMENT, DR FANG SAID.
WITH REGARD TO THIS POINT, THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR LATER EXPLAINED THAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE SPECIAL BOARD HAD ARISEN +NOT BY DESIGN, UT SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT MANY OCCUPATIONAL FEALTH CONSULTANTS OUTSIDE GOVERNMENT, AND TO INSIST ON GETTING OUTSIDE EXPERTS TO SERVE ON THE BOARD MAY RESULT IN DELAYS.+
THE COMMISSIONER ALSO POINTED OUT THAT UNDER NEW SECTION 16(E)4 HE COULD APPOINT ADITIONAL MEMBERS TO THE BOARD, AND GAVE ASSURANCE THAT HE WOULD TAKE A LIBERAL VIEW AND REVIEW THE BOARD'S COMPOSITION AFTER A YEAR OF OPERATION, DR FANG SAID.
DR FANG THEN CURAESTED THAT THE MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS BE FULLY CONSULTED IN THE SELECTION CT BOARD MEMBERS.
/CH THE