ENG-1981 — Page 89

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EMPLOYMENT

December, the unit also ran a Labour and Staff Relations Development Project under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme and organised five workshops and a conference to provide training for employees, trade union officials and management personnel in a wide range of labour relations subjects.

The Labour Tribunal, which is part of the Judiciary, provides a quick, inexpensive and informal method of adjudicating certain types of disputes between employees and employ- ers with a minimum of formality. The tribunal deals with claims of right, wherever possible in the language of the parties. It complements the Labour Relations Service and does not supersede the conciliation services of the Labour Department. During 1981, the tribunal heard 4 353 cases involving employees as claimants, and a further 397 cases in which the claims were initiated by employers. More than $11 million was awarded by presiding officers. Of the cases dealt with by the tribunal, 93.6 per cent were referred by the Labour Relations Service after unsuccessful conciliation attempts.

Finding Employment

The Local Employment Service expanded its service during the year by establishing two additional offices at Sha Tin and Tsz Wan Shan.

It now provides free placement services from 15 offices. For efficient transmission of information on employment opportunities, the offices are linked by a facsimile system. During the year, 33 117 people were successfully placed in employment.

The Labour Department's Special Register provides assistance to graduates of overseas and local universities and job-seekers who possess post-secondary or professional qualifi- cations. A total of 333 people found employment through this register.

The Selective Placement Service is responsible for employment assistance to deaf, blind and physically disabled people. It operates from an office on Hong Kong Island and a second one will be opened in Kowloon in early 1982. With the experience gained by placing physically handicapped people in employment, the service will gradually be extended to provide similar assistance to the mentally disabled and the socially disadvantages, who at present are dealt with by the Job Placement Unit of the Social Welfare Department, the Employment Service of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and other voluntary agencies. During 1981, some 372 physically disabled people found employment through the service.

Overseas Employment

The Contracts for Overseas Employment Ordinance controls contracts entered into in Hong Kong between overseas employers, or their authorised representatives, and all manual workers proceeding overseas for employment. Such contracts must be attested by the Commissioner for Labour before workers leave Hong Kong. During the year, 227 contracts were attested, compared with 313 in 1980.

Foreign Domestic Helpers

Administrative measures are in force to regulate and protect the employment of domestic helpers recruited from overseas under valid contracts that must be attested by the Labour Department. During the year, 11 179 such contracts were attested.

Employment Agencies

The Employment Agencies Regulations made under the Employment Ordinance require all profit-making employment agencies to obtain a licence from the Commissioner for Labour