XN000022-1993-09-14 — Page 14

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1993

* HONOURABLY ACCEPT SUCCESS AND DEFEAT; AND

LEARN TO APPRECIATE PRAISE AND CRITICISM FROM OTHERS.

"THE SUBJECT OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION IS, THEREFORE, AN PART OF THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF SCHOOLING KONG, MR WONG SAID.

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ESSENTIAL IN HONG

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, HE SAID, ENCOURAGED A WIDE RANGE OF SPORT ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS, AND CASH SUPPORT WAS GIVEN ΤΟ SCHOOLS FOR ORGANISING EXTRACURRICULAR SPORT ACTIVITIES.

THE DEPARTMENT ALSO SUBSIDISES THE HONG KONG SCHOOLS SPORTS COUNCIL, THE HONG KONG SPORTS ASSOCIATION AND THE NEW TERRITORIES SCHOOLS SPORTS ASSOCIATION, ALL OF WHICH ORGANISE REGULAR SPORTS PROGRAMMES FOR SCHOOLS.

DEPARTMENTS AND SPORTS

"WE LIAISE ALSO WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATIONS IN ORDER TO ORGANISE TRAINING COURSES AND COMPETITIONS FOR OUR STUDENTS, HE SAID.

W

MATERNITY PROTECTION FOR FEMALE WORKERS

A FEMALE WORKER, WHO HAS BEEN EMPLOYED FOR NOT LESS THAN 12 WEEKS, IS PROTECTED UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE (EO) FROM TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT FROM THE DATE SHE GIVES NOTICE OF HER INTENTION TO TAKE MATERNITY LEAVE UNTIL THE DATE SHE RETURNS TO WORK.

A

TO HELP WORKERS UNDERSTAND IN SIMPLE TERMS THE MATERNITY PROTECTION PROVISIONS OF THE EO, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS PREPARED NEW LEAFLET FOR FREE DISTRIBUTION AT ITS LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE OFFICES.

INCLUDED IN THE LEAFLET WAS A STANDARD FORM OF NOTICE SPECIFYING THE EXPECTED DATE OF CONFINEMENT AND THE DATE ON WHICH THE MATERNITY LEAVE IS TO START. TO HELP EMPLOYEES COMPLY WITH THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE.

THERE IS ALSO A DECLARATION FORM TO ENABLE FEMALE WORKERS TO MAKE STATUTORY DECLARATION TO VERIFY THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN SHE HAS IN ORDER TO CLAIM MATERNITY LEAVE PAY.

SENIOR LABOUR OFFICER, MR FRANCIS HO, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY) THAT UNDER THE EO, A FEMALE EMPLOYEE WHO HAD WORKED FOR THE SAME EMPLOYER UNDER A CONTINUOUS CONTRACT FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LESS THAN 26 WEEKS WAS ENTITLED TO MATERNITY LEAVE.

"IF A FEMALE WORKER HAS WORKED CONTINUOUSLY FOR THE EMPLOYER FOR A PERIOD OF NOT LESS THAN 40 WEEKS BEFORE THE EXPECTED DATE OF HER STARTING THE MATERNITY LEAVE AND SHE HAS NO MORE THAN TWO SURVIVING CHILDREN, SHE IS ALSO ENTITLED TO MATERNITY LEAVE PAY," MR HO SAID.

/THE MATERNITY