XN000022-1978-12-19 — Page 8

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1978

SEVEN DAYS PAID ANNUAL LEAVE

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A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT TODAY (TUESDAY) REMINDED EMPLOYERS WHO HAVE NOT YET GRANTED SEVEN DAYS PAID ANNUAL LEAVE TO STAFF ENTITLED TO IT THAT THEY SHOULD DO SO BEFORE THE YEAR ENDS.

+ALL_MANUAL WORKERS, AND THOSE NON-MANUAL EMPLOYEES EARNING NOT MORE THAN $2,000 A MONTH WHO HAVE COMPLETED A YEAR'S CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT WITH ONE EMPLOYER BY DECEMBER 31, 1977, ARE ENTITLED TO PAID ANNUAL LEAVE DURING 1978, + THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE SEVEN DAYS ANNUAL LEAVE WILL BE IN ADDITION TO THE 10 STATUTORY HOLIDAYS.

HOWEVER,+ HE SAID, THE LAW HAS BEEN MADE FLEXIBLE SO THAT A COMBINATION OF PAID ANNUAL LEAVE WITH STATUTORY HOLIDAYS OR REST DAYS TO FORM A TOTAL OF SEVEN CONSECUTIVE DAYS IS ALLOWED.

+ IN SUCH A CASE, THE BALANCE OF THE ANNUAL LEAVE CAN THEN BE GRANTED AS INDIVIDUAL PAID HOLIDAYS TO BE FIXED BY THE EMPLOYER IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EMPLOYEE.

+ON TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT, AN EMPLOYEE MUST BE GIVEN PRO RATA ANNUAL LEAVE PAY EXCEPT WHERE HIS RELEVANT PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT IS LESS THAN THREE MONTHS, OR IF HE IS DISMISSED FOR MISCONDUCT WITHOUT HAVING PREVIOUSLY COMPLETED 12 MONTHS OF CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT.

+APART FROM THESE CIRCUMSTANCES PAYMENT IN LIEU OF LEAVE IS PROHIBITED, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

THE LAW ALSO REQUIRES AN EMPLOYER TO KEEP RECORDS OF ANNUAL LEAVE TAKEN BY HIS STAFF.

A LEAFLET EXPLAINING THE PROVISIONS OF REST DAYS, STATUTORY HOLIDAYS AND PAID ANNUAL LEAVE IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE CAN BE OBTAINED FREE OF CHARGE FROM ALL LABOUR DEPARTMENT OFFICES.

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