XN000022-1981-01-01 — Page 2

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 1981

PNEUMOCONIOSIS COMPENSATION SCHEME STARTS TODAY

******

THE LEGISLATION WHICH PROVIDES COMPENSATION TO PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM PNEUMOCONIOSIS AND DEPENDANTS OF THOSE WHO DIE FROM THE DISEASE COMES INTO OPERATION TODAY.

ANNOUNCING THIS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS (COMPENSATION) ORDINANCE APPLIES TO ANY PERSON, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE SELF-EMPLOYED OR UNEMPLOYED, DIAGNOSED TO BE SUFFERING FROM PNEUMOCONIOSIS ON OR AFTER TODAY.

THE ORDINANCE, HOWEVER, DOES NOT APPLY:

* WHERE EX-GRATIA COMPENSATION HAS BEEN OR WILL BE PAID

BY THE GOVERNMENT FOR INCAPACITY OR DEATH RESULTING FROM PNEUMOCONIOSIS DIAGNOSED BEFORE TODAY-

*

*

TO A PERSON WITH LESS THAN FIVE YEARS' RESIDENCE, UNLESS IT IS PROVED THAT HE CONTRACTED THE DISEASE IN HONG KONG= AND

TO A PERSON WHOSE INCAPACITY, OTHER THAN INCAPACITY OF A PERMANENT NATURE, DOES NOT INCAPACITATE HIM FOR A PERIOD EXCEEDING THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS FROM EARNING FULL WAGES.

COMPENSATION WILL BE PAID FROM THE PNEUMOCON IOS IS COMPENSATION FUND FINANCED BY LEVIES FROM CONSTRUCTION WORKS AND QUARRY PRODUCTS.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION FOR TOTAL (100 PER CENT) PERMANENT INCAPACITY WOULD BE BASED ON THE AGE OF THE PERSON SUFFERING FROM THE DISEASE.

THE LEVELS OF COMPENSATION ARE: BELOW 40 YEARS OF AGE. 96 MONTHS' EARNINGS- 40 TO BELOW 56, 72 MONTHS AND 56 AND ABOVE, 48 MONTHS, SUBJECT TO A MAXIMUM OF $192 000 AND A MINIMUM OF $64 000.

FOR PERMANENT PARTIAL INCAPACITY, THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION IS A PERCENTAGE OF COMPENSATION PAYABLE FOR 100 PER CENT INCAPACITY. THE PERCENTAGE IS DECIDED BY THE DEGREE OF INCAPACITY ASSESSED BY THE PNEUMOCONIOSIS MEDICAL BOARD.

TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE UNIQUE NATURE OF PROGRESSIVE DETERIORATION OF PNEUMOCONIOSIS, THE BOARD IS AUTHORISED TO ASSESS, IN CASES OF PERMANENT PARTIAL INCAPACITY, THE DEGREE OF INCAPACITY SUFFERED AT THE TIME OF ASSESSMENT AND ANY FURTHER DEGREE LIKELY TO BE SUFFERED IN FUTURE.

COMPENSATION FOR DEATH, THE SPOKESMAN CONTINUED, ALSO DEPENDS ON THE AGE AND MONTHLY EARNINGS OF THE DECEASED AND THE DEGREE OF DEPENDENCY OF DEPENDANTS. COMPENSATION LEVELS FOR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS ARE BELOW 40, 84 MONTHS' EARNINGS 40 TO BELOW 56, 60 MONTHS- AND 56 AND ABOVE, 36 MONTHS, SUBJECT TO A MAXIMUM OF $168 000 AND A MINIMUM OF $55 000.

/A PNEUMCCONICFTC