XN000022-1994-07-25 — Page 7

MONDAY, JULY 25, 1994

"DUE CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES' SAFETY IN WORK PLACE AS WELL AS THEIR JOURNEY TO AND FROM WORK HE SAID.

F

A

AND

MR SIU POINTED OUT THAT THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAD PUBLISHED BILINGUAL BOOKLET ENTITLED "CODE OF PRACTICE IN TIMES OF TYPHOONS RAINSTORMS" WHICH SERVED AS A REFERENCE GUIDE TO FACILITATE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO MAKE EARLY WORK ARRANGEMENTS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER.

"BRIEFLY SPEAKING, AN AGREEMENT ON WORK ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD COVER RULES REGARDING REPORT OF DUTY, RELEASE FROM WORK, RESUMPTION OF WORK AND WAGES CALCULATION, HE SAID.

"THE AGREEMENT TO BE MADE BETWEEN THE EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES SHOULD STATE CLEARLY THE COLOUR CODE OF RAINSTORM UNDER WHICH EMPLOYEES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO WORK AND THE TIME OF ISSUE OF SUCH SIGNALS WHEN THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO REPORT FOR DUTY,"

NOTING THAT SOME INDUSTRIES MAY REQUIRE EMPLOYEES TO WORK UNDER THE BLACK RAINSTORM WARNING, MR SIU SAID SUCH A REQUIREMENT SHOULD BE CLEARLY STATED BEFORE THE EMPLOYMENT COMMENCES OR SUFFICIENT NOTICE SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE EMPLOYEES.

"THE WORK ARRANGEMENTS SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THE RELEASE OF EMPLOYEES WHEN RAINSTORM SIGNALS ARE IN FORCE DURING WORKING HOURS, MR SIU SAID.

"

ON

"EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES SHOULD ALSO MAKE PRIOR AGREEMENTS CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH EMPLOYEES SHOULD RETURN TO WORK WHEN RAINSTORM WARNINGS ARE LOWERED DURING WORKING HOURS.

MR SIU ALSO URGED EMPLOYERS TO ADOPT A FLEXIBLE

APPROACH IF

EMPLOYEES HAD GENUINE DIFFICULTIES IN RETURNING TO WORK.

BE

++

AS RAINSTORMS ARE NATURAL CALAMITIES, DUE CONSIDERATION SHOULD GIVEN TO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE ABSENT FROM OR LATE FOR WORK SO THAT EMPLOYEES' EARNINGS, INCLUDING ATTENDANCE BONUS, ARE NOT ADVERSELY AFFECTED," HE SAID.

THE EMPLOYEES'

TO BETTER PROTECT WORKERS, MR SIU SAID COMPENSATION ORDINANCE HAD BEEN AMENDED TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION TO WORKERS WHO WERE INJURE WHILE TRAVELLING BETWEEN THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE AND THEIR PLACE OF WORK WHEN TYPHOON SIGNAL NO. 8 OR OR RED OR BLACK RAINSTORM WARNING SIGNAL WAS ISSUED.

ABOVE,

HE SAID EMPLOYEES WHO REQUIRED ASSISTANCE COULD APPROACH THE NEAREST LABOUR RELATIONS SERVICE BRANCH OFFICE.

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