WIDNESDAY, OCKBER 12, 192:
THE BURDEN ON EMPLOYERS OF PROVIDING INCREASED PAID SICK LEAVE FOR WORKERS WAS NOT AS GREAT AS MIGHT HAVE BEEN THOUGHT.+
MR WONG ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE INCREASE IN PAID SICK LEAVE WOULD BRING GREATER PRESSURE TO SMALLER FACTORIES, THROUGH +PRODUCTION COSTS, OR LONG SICK LEAVE TAKEN BY ONE OR TWO OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.+
ON THE OTHER HAND, THE INCREASE WOULD LOWER MOBILITY OF WORKERS AMONG FACTORIES +BECAUSE THE POSSIBILITY OF WORKERS WHO HAVE ACCUMULATED LONG PAID SICK LEAVE RESIGNING WILL BE
DIMINISHED.+
+THIS WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO THE SMALL FACTORIES AND HELP TO CUSHION THE IMPACT OF THE NEW LEGISLATION ON THEM,+ HE SAID.
MR HU SAID THE BILL WAS CERTAINLY AN ENCOURAGING AND WELCOME MOVE TO HELP EMPLOYEES WHO, THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, MAY BECOME VICTIMS OF SERIOUS ILLNESS AND THUS BE AFFECTED IN THE IR INCOME AND FAMILIES' LIVELIHOOD.
+HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD BE SEEN AS THE FIRST STEP IN THE RIGHT MOVE, HE SAID.
+IN DUE COURSE IMPROVEMENT SHOULD BE INTRODUCED TO OFFER FURTHER BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES, TO SAY 60 DAYS SICK LEAVE WITHOUT THE NEED FOR HOSPITALISATION, AND A FURTHER 60 DAYS WITH AN ELEMENT OF HOSPITALISATION, HE ADDED.
MR HU EXPRESSED CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE OF NON-MANUAL WORKERS NOT PROTECTED BY THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.
+ WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS ASPECT AND INTRODUCE APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO PROTECT THIS GROUP OF EMPLOYEES WHO ALSO MAKE THE IR CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE WELL-BEING OF OUR ECONOMY, AND SHOULD THUS BE ADEQUATELY LOOKED AFTER BY THEIR EMPLOYERS, + HE SAID.
+WE THEREFORE NEED TO REVIEW THE MATTER REGULARLY AND MONITOR IT TO GIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE EFFECT.+
MR WONG PO-YAN POINTED OUT THAT IN THE AREA OF SICK LEAVE BENEFITS, THE NEED TO FIND AN EQUITABLE EQUILIBRIUM WAS OBVIOUS.
+ IT WOULD NOT, HOWEVER, BE PRUDENT TO USE PROVISIONS OF OTHER COUNTRIES AS A YARDSTICK FOR COMPARISON AS EACH COUNTRY HAS ITS OWN SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM THAT PERTAINS TO ITS OWN INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS, HE WARNED.
HE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH WE HAD NO OFFICIAL STATISTICS THAT INDICATED CONCLUSIVELY THE PATTERN OF SICK LEAVE TAKEN BY EMPLOYEES IN RECENT YEARS, RESULTS OF SURVEYS CONDUCTED BY TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND INDUSTRIAL ORGANISATIONS CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE WORKERS, THOUGH SMALL IN NUMBER, WHO REQUIRED SICK LEAVE
IN EXCESS OF THE CURRENT PROVISION.
THE BILL AND AMENDMENTS TO BE MOVED WERE HONEST ATTEMPTS TO BALANCE THE INTEREST OF ALL PARTIES CONCERNED, HE SAID.