XN000022-1994-01-01+02 — Page 6

SUNDAY, JANUARY 2, 1994

5

THE CASE CAME TO LIGHT AFTER A COMPLAINT WAS LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE (LRS) IN APRIL LAST YEAR.

LODGED TO THE

WAS LAID

FOLLOWING INVESTIGATION BY LRS OFFICERS, A SUMMONS AGAINST THE COMPANY FOR VIOLATING THE PROVISIONS RELATING TO MATERNITY PROTECTION OF THE ORDINANCE.

IS WORKER

THE LAW PROVIDES THAT A WOMAN

FROM PROTECTED TERMINATION OF HER EMPLOYMENT DURING THE PERIOD FROM THE DATE ON WHICH SHE GIVES NOTICE OF HER INTENTION TO TAKE MATERNITY LEAVE DATE ON WHICH SHE IS DUE TO RETURN TO WORK, IF SHE HAS BEEN FOR NOT LESS THAN 12 WEEKS.

UNTIL THE EMPLOYED

THE

IT ALSO PROVIDES THAT A WOMAN EMPLOYEE WHO HAS WORKED FOR

NOT LESS SAME EMPLOYER UNDER A CONTINUOUS CONTRACT FOR A PERIOD OF THAN 26 WEEKS IS ENTITLED TO MATERNITY LEAVE.

*

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

THE MATERNITY LEAVE PAY IS CALCULATED AT THE RATE OF TWO-THIRDS OF HER MONTHLY SALARY.

"IF A

OR FEMALE WORKER IS EMPLOYED ON PIECE RATE

WHERE DAILY WAGES VARY FROM DAY TO DAY, THE RATE IS TWO-THIRDS OF HER AVERAGE WAGE DURING EVERY COMPLETE WAGE PERIOD, COMPRISING THAN 28 DAYS AND NOT MORE THAN 31 DAYS, PRECEDING THE LEAVE.

HER DAILY

NOT LESS

IN ADDITION, EMPLOYERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO PAY WAGES IN LIRU MATERNITY LEAVE, HE ADDED.

OF

MR

YEUNG SAID

PROVISIONS EMPLOYERS BREACHING THE LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10,000.

WOULD

BR

"THE

WOULD HAVE ACCORDANCE WITH FURTHER SUM

BEEN

EMPLOYER WILL ALSO HAVE TO PAY THE SUM WHICH PAYABLE IF THE CONTRACT HAS BEEN TERMINATED IN ITS TERMS, THE MATERNITY LEAVE PAY FOR 10 WEEKS AND EQUIVALENT TO SEVEN DAYS' WAGES."

FREE

TO HELP WORKERS UNDERSTAND THE MATERNITY PROTECTION PROVISIONS,

PREPARED COPIES OF A LEAFLET FOR THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS DISTRIBUTION AT THE LRS OFFICES.

IN INCLUDED

THE LEAFLET

OF

NOTICE,

IS A STANDARD FORM SPECIFYING THE EXPECTED DATE OF CONFINEMENT AND THE DATE ON WHICH THE MATERNITY LEAVE IS TO START, TO HELP EMPLOYEES OBLIGATION UNDER THE ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

COMPLY WITH

THEIR

HELP WOMAN WORKERS MAKE THERE IS ALSO A DECLARATION FORM TO

IN STATUTORY DECLARATION TO VERIFY THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THEY HAVE ORDER TO CLAIM MATERNITY LEAVE PAY.

ΤΟ AVOID UNNECESSARY MISUNDERSTANDING AND DISPUTES, INTENDING TO TAKE MATERNITY LEAVE SHOULD CONSIDER USING THE FORM OF NOTICE AS FAR AS PRACTICABLE, HE ADDED.

EMPLOYEES STANDARD

/MR YEUNG