XN000022-1983-07-08 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1983

+ANY TAX UNDER ASSESSED WILL THEN BE CALLED FOR, WHILE ANY TAX OVERPAID WILL BE USED IN PART SETTLEMENT OF THE NEXT YEAR'S PROVISIONAL PROPERTY TAX BILL, HE SAID.

MR LADD STRESSED THAT THE NEW LEGISLATION WAS DESIGNED TO PRODUCE A MORE EQUITABLE SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENT OF INCOME FROM THE OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY.

THE AIM WAS NOT TO PRODUCE INCREASED YIELDS FROM PROPERTY TAX, ALTHOUGH THE EFFECT WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT, IN FUTURE PROPERTY TAX REVENUE WOULD MORE CLOSELY REFLECT THE PATTERN OF ACTUAL INCOME RECEIVED.

+ IT FOLLOWS THAT IN TIMES OF AN UPTURN IN MARKET TRENDS PROPERTY TAX YIELDS WILL INCREASE BUT WHEN RENTAL LEVELS FALL SO WILL THE YIELDS FROM PROPERTY TAX, HE SAID.

DEMAND NOTES FOR THE 1983/84 PROVISIONAL PROPERTY TAX WOULD BE ISSUED BETWEEN JULY 11 AND AUGUST THIS YEAR, WITH THE DUE DATES FOR PAYMENT FALLING BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1983 AND FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR,

THIS FOLLOWED THE DUE DATE PATTERN ADOPTED FOR PREVIOUS YEARS AND TAXPAYERS WOULD HAVE AMPLE TIME TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR PAYMENT, HE SAID.

THREEFOLD PAID SICK LEAVE RISE PLANNED

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THE GOVERNMENT IS PROPOSING TO INCREASE BY MORE THAN THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF PAID SICK LEAVE TO WHICH ALL MANUAL WORKERS AND THOSE EARNING LESS THAN $7 500 A MONTH MAY BE ELIGIBLE.

UNDER THE EXISTING EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, A WORKER IS ENTITLED TO ONE DAY OF PAID SICK LEAVE FOR EVERY COMPLETED MONTH OF SERVICE AND MAY ACCUMULATE UP TO 36 DAYS PAID SICK LEAVE ENTITLEMENT.

AN AMENDMENT BILL PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE TODAY SEEKS TO INCREASE THIS ENTITLEMENT BY ALLOWING A WORKER TO EARN TWO DAYS PAID SICK LEAVE A MONTH IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT AND TO EARN FOUR DAYS A MONTH AFTER THIS INITIAL PERIOD. THE LEAVE ENTITLEMENT MAY ALSO BE ACCUMULATED UP TO A MAXIMUM OF 120 DAYS.

OF THESE 120 DAYS, UP TO 90 MAY BE TAKEN IF THE WORKER DOES NOT REQUIRE HOSPITALISATION DURING HIS ILLNESS. IF THE WORKER HAS TO GO INTO HOSPITAL AT ANY TIME DURING AN ILLNESS LASTING MORE THAN 90 DAYS. A FURTHER DAY OF PAID SICK LEAVE IS GIVEN FOR EACH DAY HE SPENDS IN HOSPITAL, PROVIDED THAT THE TOTAL LENGTH OF PAID SICK LEAVE DOES NOT EXCEED 120 DAYS OR THE WORKER'S ACCUMULATED ENTITLEMENT IF THAT IS SHORTER.

/FURTHERMORE,