XN000022-1995-06-23 — Page 9

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Wage limit for severance and long service payments raised

The wage limit for calculating severance payment (SP) and long service payment (LSP) under the Employment Ordinance has been increased from $15,000 to $22,500 per month.

The revised wage limit was gazetted today (Friday) and will take immediate effect. The adjustment was proposed in a resolution which was passed by the Legislative Council on June 21 (Wednesday),

"With this revision, SP and LSP are payable to monthly rated eligible employees at the rate of two-thirds of the last full month's wages or two-thirds of $22,500, whichever is the less, for each reckonable year of service," a spokesman for the Labour Department said.

"For daily-rated or piece-rated employees, the calculation of SP and LSP will be 18 days' wages or two-thirds of $22,500, whichever is the less, for each reckonable year of service," he said.

The total amount payable should not exceed a statutory maximum, which is currently $210,000.

The wage

limit for calculating the two payments was last revised in 1990.

End/Friday, June 23, 1995

Bill to safeguard press freedom gazetted

The Governor-in-Council has endorsed a Bill which provides additional safeguards to protect journalistic material from being searched for and seized arbitrarily by law enforcement agencies, the Government announced today (Friday).

today.

The Interpretation and General Clauses (Amendment) Bill 1995 was gazetted

A Government spokesman said the Bill addressed criticisms that the powers of search and seizure of the police were too wide and that such powers, if abused in relation to journalistic material, might threaten press freedom.