degree of maternity protection for women, and to four rest days a month for most employees. The scope of the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance has been extended by making employers responsible for the cost of prostheses and surgical appliances, and the First Schedule of the Ordinance has been amended to provide for higher percentages of disability in certain cases. Safety regulations in respect of woodworking machinery, lifting gear and lifting appliances, electrolytic chromium processes, construction sites, quarries and work in confined spaces have been introduced; further measures to protect women and young people working in licensed premises have been passed; the Contracts for Overseas Employment Ordinance has been amended to allow the Commissioner of Labour authority to refuse the attestation of contracts unfair to workers. The Labour Tribunal Ordinance has established a simple form of machinery to determine claims of right under contracts of employment or certain statutes. The scope of the Employment Ordinance has been extended to provide holidays with pay and sickness allowance to all employees and to simplify the qualifications. have been made to control employment agencies and so give
Regulations additional protection to job seekers. Two improvements of particular importance have been introduced in 1974 -
2
(a) Protection of workers against acts of anti-union
discrimination; and
(1)
Entitlement to severance pay of workers who become redundant or are discharged through no fault of their own. 22. The Labour Department has made a thorough review of industrial accidents in Hong Kong over the past 20 years and as a result has evolved a Five Year Action Programme for the promotion of industrial safety. This is predominantly the responsibility of the strengthened Factory Inspectorate using industrial safety courses to back up inspection. An Industrial Safety Centre has been established and an Industrial Health Unit that has been recognised by the WHO. Further regulations are being introduced to cover cargo handling at wharves and quays. Others are projected for a variety of specialised industrial processes (flammable liquid spraying; manufacture of dry batteries; operation of abrasive wheels, cartridge-operated fixing tools and power presses).
23.
Recent amendments to the Workmen's Compensation Ordinance have raised the maximum wage ceiling for entitlement of non- manual workers from HK# 1500 to HK$ 2000 per month. Maximum amounts which can be claimed as compensation have been correspondingly increased by 30% A special compensation scheme for anyone suffering from silicosis will be introduced during the coming months.
8
/24
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.