XN000022-1990-04-09 — Page 12

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MONDAY, APRIL 9, 1990

LAB STUDIES PLAN TO COMPENSATE WORKERS FOR HEARING LOSS

THE LABOUR ADVISORY BOARD TODAY (MONDAY) DISCUSSED ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE PROPOSED COMPENSATION SCHEME FOR SUFFERING FROM OCCUPATIONAL NOISE-INDUCED HEARING LOSS.

FUNDING WORKERS

THE PROPOSED SCHEME HAD BEEN ACCEPTED IN PRINCIPLE BY THE BOARD AT ITS PREVIOUS MEETINGS.

A WORKER WILL BE ENTITLED TO COMPENSATION IF HE HAS 10 YEARS' EMPLOYMENT IN A NOISY INDUSTRY IN HONG KONG AND A PERIOD OF CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT IN SUCH INDUSTRY WITHIN THE 24 MONTHS BEFORE THE DATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SCHEME, OR WITHIN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION.

THE MAXIMUM LEVEL OF COMPENSATION WILL BE NOT MORE THAN 48 MONTHS' EARNINGS FOR TOTAL DISABILITY SUBJECT TO A MAXIMUM OF $394,000.

IT WAS PROPOSED AT TODAY'S MEETING THAT THE SCHEME FINANCED BY A PERCENTAGE SURCHARGE ON THE PREMIUM PAID EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION INSURANCE POLICY AND THAT COLLECTION A LEVY SHOULD BEGIN SIX MONTHS BEFORE THE SCHEME COMES OPERATION.

SHOULD BE FOR EVERY OF SUCH FULL

INTO

AFTER SOME DISCUSSION, MEMBERS GENERALLY ENDORSED THE FOR A SURCHARGE BUT STRONGLY FELT THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD AN INTEREST-FREE LOAN. ALSO THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD CONTRIBUTE SCHEME IN THE SAME WAY AS AN EMPLOYER IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

PROPOSAL PROVIDE

TO THE

THE CHAIRMAN UNDERTOOK ΤΟ REFLECT THESE VIEWS ΤΟ THE

GOVERNMENT.

THE MEETING ALSO CONSIDERED SOME PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE TO BETTER PROTECT EMPLOYEES' ENTITLEMENTS IN THE CALCULATION OF SEVERANCE PAYMENT AND LONG SERVICE PAYMENT.

THE EFFECT OF THE AMENDMENTS WILL BE THAT WHERE AN EMPLOYEE TERMINATES HIS CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT DUE TO OLD AGE OR ILL HEALTH, HE WILL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN PAID FULL WAGES PERIOD OF THE LAST 12 MONTHS OF EMPLOYMENT CALCULATING LONG SERVICE PAYMENT OR SEVERANCE HAS COMPLETED THE QUALIFYING YEARS OF SERVICE.

DURING THE RELEVANT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PAYMENT, PROVIDED HE

THIS WILL APPLY ALSO TO AN EMPLOYER WHO DIES IN SERVICE WHOSE DEPENDANTS ARE ENTITLED TO LONG SERVICE PAYMENT.

AND

IN ADDITION, AN EMPLOYEE WILL BE CONSIDERED TO HAVE BEEN PAID HIS FULL WAGES AS IF HE HAD WORKED NORMALLY DURING THE RELEVANT PERIOD IF HE HAS BEEN PUT ON SHORT-TIME WORK OR IF HE OR SHE HAS TAKEN NO-PAY SICK LEAVE OR NO-PAY MATERNITY LEAVE.

/THE MEETING