MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 1994
13
WORK ARRANGEMENTS IN RAINSTORMS URGED
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PRIOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES WITH REGARD WORK ARRANGEMENTS AND CONTINGENCY MEASURES IN TIMES OF RAINSTORMS IMPORTANT IN AVOIDING UNNECESSARY MISUNDERSTANDING AND DISPUTES.
TO
ARE
"STATUTORY REGULATIONS OF WORK ARRANGEMENTS IN TIMES OF RAINSTORMS WOULD NOT BE PRACTICABLE BECAUSE OF THE DIVERSITY IN NATURE AND REQUIREMENTS OF JOB IN VARIOUS TRADES AND INDUSTRIES, THE ACTING ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR, MR HOUDINI HO, SAID TODAY (MONDAY).
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"EMPLOYERS ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO ADOPT A FLEXIBLE APPROACH IN DRAWING UP WORK ARRANGEMENTS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, MR HO SAID.
H
"DUE CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES' SAFETY IN WORKPLACE AS WELL AS THEIR JOURNEY TO AND FROM WORK, HE SAID.
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MR HO POINTED OUT THAT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD PUBLISHED A BILINGUAL BOOKLET ENTITLED "CODE OF PRACTICE IN TIMES OF TYPHOONS AND RAINSTORMS" WHICH SERVED AS A REFERENCE GUIDE TO FACILITATE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES ΤΟ MAKE EARLY
ARRANGEMENTS DURING INCLEMENT
WEATHER.
WORK
"BRIEFLY SPEAKING, AN AGREEMENT ON WORK ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD COVER RULES REGARDING REPORT OF DUTY, RELEASE FROM WORK, RESUMPTION OF WORK AND WAGES CALCULATION, HE SAID.
"THE
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AGREEMENT TO BE MADE BETWEEN THE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES SHOULD STATE CLEARLY THE COLOUR CODE OF RAINSTORM UNDER WHICH
ARE EMPLOYEES
NOT REQUIRED TO WORK AND THE TIME OF ISSUE OF SUCH SIGNALS WHEN THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO REPORT FOR DUTY.'
NOTING THAT SOME INDUSTRIES MAY REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO WORK UNDER THE BLACK RAINSTORM WARNING, MR HO SAID THAT SUCH A REQUIREMENT SHOULD BE CLEARLY STATED BEFORE THE EMPLOYMENT BEGAN OR SUFFICIENT NOTICE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE EMPLOYEES.
"THE WORK ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THE RELEASE OF EMPLOYEES WHEN RAINSTORM SIGNALS ARE IN FORCE DURING WORKING HOURS.
ON
"EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES SHOULD ALSO MAKE PRIOR AGREEMENTS CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH EMPLOYEES SHOULD RETURN TO WORK WHEN RAINSTORM WARNINGS ARE LOWERED DURING WORKING HOURS, MR HO SAID.
HE ALSO URGED EMPLOYERS TO ADOPT A FLEXIBLE EMPLOYEES HAD GENUINE DIFFICULTIES IN RETURNING TO WORK.
APPROACH IF
"AS RAINSTORMS ARE NATURAL CALAMITIES, DUE CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ABSENT FROM OR LATE FOR WORK SO THAT EMPLOYEES' EARNINGS, INCLUDING ATTENDANCE BONUS, ARE NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED," HE SAID.
/TO BETTER