XN000022-1994-03-13 — Page 3

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 1994

THE

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SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY VISITS USA

* * * * *

HONG

SECRETARY FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY, MR T H CHAU, LEFT KONG TODAY (SUNDAY) FOR A THREE-DAY VISIT TO WASHINGTON, DC, USA.

IN WASHINGTON, HE

WILL MEET SENIOR OFFICIALS IN THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING THE U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE MICKEY KANTOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE U.S. CONGRESS.

AMBASSADOR

MAXIMUM FINES FOR BREACHING LABOUR LAWS

*

THE

LABOUR

DEPARTMENT TO COMPLY WITH

TODAY (SUNDAY) LABOUR LAWS OR THEY

REMINDED

WILL

FACTORY FACE HEAVY

PROPRIETORS PENALTIES.

MADE THE WERE ILLEGAL

LABOUR OFFICER (PROSECUTIONS), MISS KATHERINE TSANG, APPEAL IN VIEW OF TWO RECENT COURT CASES IN WHICH THE EMPLOYERS

IN WOMEN EACH GIVEN MAXIMUM FINES OF $10,000 FOR ENGAGING OVERTIME WORK AND TO WORK ON A REST DAY.

NEW

DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, LABOUR INSPECTORS FOUND THAT BRIGHT INDUSTRIAL COMPANY LIMITED IN SAN PO KONG HAD ENGAGED 178 WOMEN IN UNREPORTED OVERTIME WORK.

IN IN ANOTHER INSPECTION, THREE STARS KNITTING FACTORY LIMITED KOWLOON BAY WAS FOUND TO HAVE EMPLOYED 25 WOMEN TO WORK ON A REST DAY.

THE MAXIMUN FINE OF $10,000 WAS IMPOSED ON BOTH COMPANIES BY KWUN TONG MAGISTRATE RECENTLY.

A

THE

IN

{ INDUSTRY} "IT IS AN OFFENCE UNDER THE WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS REGULATIONS OF THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE FOR AN EMPLOYER TO CHANGE PRESCRIBED WORKING HOURS OF WOMEN IN INDUSTRY OR TO ENGAGE THEM OVERTIME WORK, WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT BEFOREHAND, MISS TSANG SAID.

THE LAW ALSO REQUIRES THE EMPLOYER TO DISPLAY IN A CONSPICUOUS PERIOD OF IN THE FACTORY A PRESCRIBED NOTICE SETTING OUT THE EMPLOYMENT,

FOR WOMEN

PLACE

WORKERS.

REST DAY

INTERVALS FOR MEALS OR REST, AND

EMPLOYERS

HOURS SHOULD STRICTLY ADHERE TO THE PERMISSIBLE WORK SET OUT IN THE PRESCRIBED NOTICE.

OF

'IF THEY REQUIRE WOMEN WORKERS TO WORK ON A SCHEDULED REST DAY, THEY MUST APPLY FOR A CHANGE OF REST DAYS FOR THEIR WOMEN EMPLOYEES AT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT, SHE ADDED.

TT

MISS TSANG ALSO REMINDED EMPLOYERS THAT YOUNG PERSONS SHOULD NOT BE EMPLOYED TO WORK OVERTIME IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.

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