XN000022-1981-10-26 — Page 5

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1981

WELFARE WORKERS OFTEN REACHED OUT TO CONTACT VICTIMS IN MAJOR ACCIDENTS TO HELP THEM APPLY.

PAYMENTS ARE ALSO OFTEN MADE IN STAGES FOR SERIOUS CASES WHERE A PROLONGED SICK LEAVE PERIOD IS INVOLVED.

+WE ARE ALSO VERY CONSCIOUS TO KEEP THE PROCEDURES AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE, HE SAID.

MR ALLEYNE PAID TRIBUTE TO THE POLICE FOR PLAYING A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN FURTHERING THE SCHEME. ABOUT HALF OF THE APPLICANTS WERE REFERRED TO THE DEPARTMENT BY THEM, WITH THE OTHERS APPLYING DIRECTLY, HE NOTED.

EMPLOYMENT OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES

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EMPLOYERS WHO WISH TO EMPLOY VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ARE REMINDED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LATTER ARE LAWFULLY EMPLOYABLE UNDER THE LAW.

THOSE ALREADY EMPLOYING VIETNAMESE REFUGEES ARE URGED TO CHECK THE IR REFUGEE CARDS EVERY PAY DAY TO ENSURE THAT THEY REMAIN EMPLOYABLE.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (MONDAY) THAT ACCORDING TO THE IMMIGRATION (AMENDMENT) ORDINANCE 1981, A VIETNAMESE REFUGEE IS LAWFULLY EMPLOYABLE ONLY IF HIS OR HER REFUGEE CARD DOES NOT PROHIBIT HIM OR HER FROM TAKING EMPLOYMENT.

THE ORDINANCE ALSO REQUIRES AN EMPLOYER TO CHECK THE REFUGEE CARDS OF HIS VIETNAMESE EMPLOYEES EVERY PAY DAY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY REMAIN LAWFULLY EMPLOYABLE.

THE SPOKESMAN FURTHER REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT CAMP PASSES HELD BY VIETNAMESE REFUGEES CANNOT BE REGARDED AS REFUGEE CARDS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IT HAD COME TO THE NOTICE OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT AN EMPLOYER HAD MISTAKEN CAMP PASSES AS REFUGEE CARDS.

IN ANOTHER INSTANCE, AN EMPLOYER FAILED TO NOTE THAT A VIETNAMESE REFUGEE IN HIS EMPLOYMENT HAD CEASED TO BE EMPLOYABLE.

+TO PREVENT THIS, IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR AN EMPLOYER TO CHECK THE REFUGEE CARDS EVERY PAY DAY TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO CHANGE IN THE EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF HIS VIETNAMESE EMPLOYEES, THE SPOKESMAN ADDED,

THE SPOKESMAN WARNED THAT ANY EMPLOYER WHO EMPLOYED A VIETNAMESE REFUGEE NOT LAWFULLY EMPLOYABLE WOULD RISK A $50 000 FINE AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT.

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