XN000022-1981-06-30 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 1981

MORE INFORMATION SOUGHT ON INCREMENTAL CREDITS

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THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IS WAITING FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE ABOUT INCREMENTAL CREDITS FOR RELEVANT EXPERIENCE FOR SOCIAL WORK STAFF IN THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR.

THE DEPARTMENT HAD DISCUSSED THE MATTER WITH THE COUNCIL EARLIER THIS YEAR, AND HAD INDICATED IT WOULD CONSIDER THE MATTER IF THE COUNCIL SHOULD COME UP WITH DETAILED INFORMATION.

THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN ASKED TO QUANTIFY THE PROBLEM IN THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR SO THAT IT COULD BE LOOKED INTO AND DISCUSSED FURTHER.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) + IT WAS A MISCONCEPTION+ THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD CHANGED ITS INCREMENTAL POLICY FOR STAFF UNDER THE ASSISTANT SOCIAL WORK OFFICER RANK.

+THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CHANGE IN THE POLICY, AND INCREMENTAL CREDITS WERE NEVER AWARDED IN THE PAST FOR RELEVANT POST-QUALIFICATION EXPERIENCE FOR THE RANKS OF PRINCIPAL WELFARE ASSISTANT AND WELFARE ASSISTANT, HE SAID.

WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WELFARE CLASS REVIEW, THESE TWO RANKS HAVE SINCE BEEN CONVERTED TO THE NEW RANKS OF SOCIAL WORK ASSISTANT AND WELFARE WORKER, WHICH CONTINUE NOT TO ATTRACT ANY INCREMENTAL CREDITS ON DIRECT RECRUITMENT.

THE SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED THAT BEFORE THE WELFARE CLASS REVIEW WAS IMPLEMENTED, THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATION FOR DIRECT APPOINTMENT TO THE PRINCIPAL WELFARE ASSISTANT RANK WAS AT LEAST THREE YEARS' RECOGNISED POST-QUALIFICATION EXPERIENCE, IN ADDITION TO A DIPLOMA OR CERTIFICATE IN SOCIAL WORK.

CANDIDATES WITH THREE YEARS' EXPERIENCE ENTERED AT THE THEN STARTING SALARY POINT OF 19 ON THE MASTER PAY SCALE, HE SAID.

HOWEVER, THOSE WITH LESS THAN THREE YEARS' EXPERIENCE WERE ALSO CONSIDERED FOR APPOINTMENT, AND WHEN RECRUITED, ENTERED ONLY AT CORRESPONDINGLY LOWER POINTS BELOW THE STARTING POINT, HE ADDED.

FOR EXAMPLE, HE SAID, CANDIDATES WITH NO EXPERIENCE AT ALL ENTERED AT THREE POINTS BELOW THE STARTING POINT, THOSE WITH ONLY ONE YEAR'S EXPERIENCE STARTED AT TWO POINTS LOWER, WHILE THOSE WITH ONLY TWO YEARS' EXPERIENCE ENTERED AT ONE POINT LOWER.

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