CONFIDENTIAL
شکایت
LA 393/11
Reference
(38)
fon
Mr Milton
HONG KONG:
HKD
wad
I tujul that we can await funkar fum les Governor. Dim. 700.
GOVERNOR'S STATEMENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL:
CRITERIA FOR EXTENDED PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
1. I am glad to see from your submission of 5 October that we are to be given a chance to examine in detail the criteria proposed in Hong Kong for payment of "unemployment benefit" use the Governor's expression.
to
2. My immediate comment is that the situation described by the Governor and recorded in paragraph 2 of your submission, whereby when demand for labour is so high that workers are able to switch jobs easily and can afford to stop work for a week or two, will not apply when there is a recession of the kind experienced in Hong Kong in 1974/75. The "two month" criterion therefore needs to be considered in the context of a recession rather than of full employment. On this basis it seems to me to be inordinately long.
3. Another point which occurs to me is that the Governor was speaking of a situation in which employees changed their jobs of their own volition. When there is redundancy and employment is terminated by the employer because he no longer requires the employee's services, it seems to me that there is a case for the employee to qualify for "unemployment benefit" after only a short waiting period. In other words, criteria laid down for the payment of severance allowance in Part V A of Hong Kong's Employment Ordinance (See Ordinance No 67 of 1974) might be used as guide lines in considering when an unemployed worker should receive financial assistance.
4. Inevitably, I would say, there will be many points of difficulty e.g. what happens if a man is dismissed for misconduct or refuses to take an alternative job which is offered to him?
5.
We should keep in mind the possibility of offering expert assistance from this country.
7 October 1976
c. Mr Lipsey o/r
HRG Hurst Overseas Labour Adviser
la
в
Chud BHRNO1/548/5
J
CODE 18-77
92611308
IS 'ON AUDIOS
CONFIDENTIAL
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