FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1935
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DISPLACED WORKERS TO GET EX-GRATIA PAYMENT
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ABOUT 4.4 MILLION WILL BE PAID OUT FROM THE PROTECTION OF WAGES ON INSOLVENCY FUND, STARTING TODAY (FRIDAY), TO SOME 1 500 FORMER EMPLOYEES OF TWO DEFUNCT COMPANIES.
THE ALPHANETICS MANUFACTURING COMPANY AND THE ATLAS ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING LTD -- TWO SUBSIDIARIES OF THE ATLAS INDUSTRIES LTD-- CEASED BUSINESS ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND THE IR WAGES FOR OCTOBER WERE STILL IN ARREARS,
WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, THE EMPLOYEES APPLIED FOR EX-GRATIA PAYMENT FROM THE FUND.
A SENIOR LABOUR OFFICER OF THE DEPARTMENT'S WAGE SECURITY UNIT, MRS AUDREY CHENG, SAID LETTERS HAD BEEN SENT TO THE WORKERS INFORMING THEM TO COLLECT PAYMENT AT THE UNIT IN WAN CHAI.
SHE POINTED OUT THAT AS THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS INVOLVED IN THIS CASE WAS SO GREAT, IT WOULD TAKE A FEW WEEKS TO HAVE ALL THE PAYMENTS CLEARED.
+ IN ORDER TO KEEP THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS TURNING UP FOR COLLECTION OF PAYMENT AT A MANAGEABLE SIZE AND TO REDUCE THE WAITING TIME, PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY BATCHES, SHE SAID.
EMPLOYEES APPLYING FOR PAYMENT FROM THE FUND ARE REQUIRED TO FILL IN AN APPLICATION FORM WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED IN TRIPLICATE.
THEY MUST GIVE ACCURATE INFORMATION WHILE FILLING IN THE FORMS AS ERRORS MAY CAUSE DELAY IN THE PROCESSING OF THEIR CLAIMS.
THE APPLICANTS ALSO HAVE TO PRODUCE DOCUMENTS SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT, PAYROLL RECEIPTS, WAGE RECORDS AND ATTENDANCE RECORDS TO SUPPORT THEIR CLAIMS.
THE FUND, ADMINISTERED BY THE PROTECTION OF WAGES ON INSOLVENCY FUND BOARD, BEGAN OPERATION IN APRIL THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE QUICK RELIEF TO EMPLOYEES WHOSE EMPLOYERS HAD BECOME INSOLVENT.
SINCE THEN, MORE THAN 5 000 EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING THE ATLAS GROUP, HAD APPLIED FOR EX-GRATIA PAYMENT AND THE TOTAL WAGES CLAIEL AMOUNTED TO ABOUT $13.7 MILLION.
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