TNAG-1733-FCO40-2446-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 277

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EMPLOYEES' COMPENSATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1988

The Secretary for Education and Manpower moved the Second Reading of 'A Bill to amend the Employees' Compensation Ordinance'.

He said :

Sir,

I move that the Employees' Compensation (Amendment)

Bill 1988 be read a second time. This Bill proposes (2) major

三

improvements to the Employees' Compensation Ordinance and a

number of minor ones.

cover

The first major purpose of the Bill

Bill is to extend

the scope of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance to Hong Kong workers required in the course of their duties to work outside Hong Kong. As the law now stands, when such

workers sustain injuries while working outside Hong Kong, they are deprived of the protection of the Ordinance and their employers are not required to compensate them or their dependants. Furthermore, it may well happen that they are

not protected by the laws of the country in which the injury occurs. The Labour Department knows of an increasing number

of such injuries. Known cases rose from 95 in 1986 to 189

are cases which in 1987, and there- may well be other reported.. On the other hand, the Depart tment knows that many le.

out insurance cover for employers have voluntarily taken their workers and have actually compensated them as if they were under the protection of the Ordinance. Clause

this Bill would make this a statutory requirement. However,

to avoid double benefits, it also provides for compensation

paid outside Hong Kong under

of law

foreign

jurisdiction to be offset against any compensation received

the

not

Clause 10 of

a

under this Ordinance.