XN000022-1992-01-11 — Page 6

SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 1992

5

HEAVY DEMAND FOR LABOUR ENQUIRY SERVICE

THE GENERAL ENQUIRY TELEPHONE SERVICE (GETS). OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HANDLED A RECORD OF 69,843 ENQUIRIES, OR A DAILY OF 257 CALLS, FROM THE PUBLIC LAST YEAR.

THIS REPRESENTED AN INCREASE OF 8.1 PER CENT OVER 1990.

GETS ALSO PROVIDES GENERAL

AVERAGE

INFORMATION THROUGH A DATAPHONE

SYSTEM ON VARIOUS LABOUR LEGISLATION AND THE WORK OF THE DEPARTMENT.

11

"OF THE ENQUIRIES RECEIVED LAST YEAR, 84 PER CENT OR 58,640 CALLS WERE ANSWERED DIRECTLY. BY LABOUR INSPECTORS, SENIOR LABOUR OFFICER (LABOUR INSPECTION) MR CHAN KWOK-KUEN SAID.

"ANOTHER FIVE PER CENT OF THE ENQUIRIES OR 3,425 CALLS WERE ANSWERED BY THE DATAPHONE WHICH PLAYED BACK PRE-RECORDED TAPES ON 29 SELECTED LABOUR TOPICS IN ENGLISH AND CHINESE, MR CHAN ADDED.

"

"MOST OF THESE ENQUIRIES CONCERNED PROVISIONS OF

THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE, WHILE OTHERS RELATED TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF FOREIGN DOMESTIC HELPERS, THE EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION ORDINANCE, WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS (INDUSTRY) AND EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN REGULATIONS, IMMIGRATION ORDINANCE AND PROTECTION OF WAGES

ON INSOLVENCY ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

"THE OTHER ENQUIRIES, WHICH REQUIRED IN-DEPTH ANSWERS OR FFOLLOW-UP ACTION, WERE REFERRED TO RELEVANT DIVISIONS OR TO OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS," HE SAID.

GETS HOTLINE (815 5066) OPERATES DAILY FROM 9 AM TO 5.30 FROM EVERY MONDAY ΤΟ FRIDAY AND FROM 9 AM TO NOON ON EVERY SATURDAY.

PM

THE SYSTEM IS MANNED BY FIVE OFFICERS WITH FACILITIES TO HANDLE FIVE CALLERS AT ANY ONE TIME.

IN VIEW OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF CALLS RECEIVED, MR CHAN ADVISED ENQUIRERS TO AVOID THE PEAK HOURS AND TO CALL BETWEEN NOON AND 1 PM OR AFTER 4 PM.

STARTING IN JULY 1989 AS A SUPPLEMENTARY ENQUIRY SERVICE TO THE DEPARTMENT'S DIVISIONAL ENQUIRY SERVICES, GETS IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR WITH MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

THE SYSTEM IS NOW UNDER REVIEW TO SEE IF IT COULD BE DEVELOPED INTO A CENTRALISED SERVICE HANDLING GENERAL ENQUIRIES ON THE WORK AND LEGISLATION ADMINISTERED BY ALL MAJOR DIVISIONS OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.

0

/6