End
(b)
As at
· 70-
Number of
Total
temporary staff
strength
Percentage
%
USD
1.3.95
1,224
16,814
7.28
1.3.96
1,361
17,436
7.81
1.3.97
1,471
17,610
8.35
RSD
1.3.95
533
9,834
5.42
1.3.96
540
9,935
5.44
1.3.97
254
10,347
2.46
Temporary staff are employed by the two departments to respond to the workload arising from:
(i)
(ii)
ad hoc programmes or specific short-term tasks or projects which require special expertise: examples are instructors for interest group classes and exhibition assistants;
seasonal need and short-term surges in workload which do not justify the employment of permanent staff, e.g. part-time lifeguards and staff for art and film festivals;
(iii)
areas of service for which contracting out is being contemplated, and which would entail deletion of posts, e.g. contracting out of street cleansing service and gardening services; and
(c)
(d)
(iv)
temporary shortfall of staff pending formal recruitment, e.g. clerical officers and typists.
Both USD and RSD regularly review the number of temporary staff they require having regard to operational needs.
The highest number of contract renewals granted consecutively to individual officers in USD and RSD are 16 and 18 respectively; the renewal period was from 1 to 6 months. These officers are Workmen employed in areas of service for which contracting out is contemplated.
In the past three years, 108 temporary staff (14 in USD and 94 in RSD) have sustained injuries while at work. During the same period, there have been no staff members whose contracts have not been renewed while they were on sick leave.