Tag Archives: China

     â€‹The annual review of the Security Bureau (SB) Youth Uniformed Group Leaders Forum was held at the Central Government Offices today (September 21) for youth members to give presentations on their research topics and reflect on their learning experiences over the past year, and to outline the development of the Leaders Forum for the coming year with its new members.
      
     Addressing the audience as the officiating guest, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Chan Kwok-ki, said that the second term of the Leaders Forum organised nearly 30 activities and provided diverse training for its members. He said that the members also took part in study tours to places such as the Greater Bay Area and Henan Province to experience the country’s history and culture as well as its social development, enhancing their national identity. He said he is glad to see that in the coming year, the SB will, apart from further deepening its co-operation with Shenzhen University, collaborate with the Secretariat for Security of Macao to promote development and cultural exchanges of youths in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to strengthen the cohesion of youths in the three places and encourage their devotion to contributing to the country.
      
     The youth members shared their experiences and insights from the past year at the event, including three outstanding alumni, who shared their experiences of participation in the 2024 United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs Youth Forum held in Vienna and, as Hong Kong youth volunteers, in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2024 held in Hainan. Other members shared their internship experiences at the Palace Museum in Beijing, well-known enterprises and government institutions. Furthermore, member representatives collaborated with students of Shenzhen University, a partner of the Leaders Forum, to give presentations on research related to the Greater Bay Area and youth. The members received feedback from the guests.
      
     Concluding the event, the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, said members have grown significantly after a year of learning. Pleased to know that some alumni and members will join the Government as administrative officer and members of disciplinary forces, he said he believes they have a deeper understanding of how to become young leaders to contribute to society and serve the country. He thanked Shenzhen University; the chairmen, the presidents as well as the advisory board of the Leaders Forum; the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; as well as people and enterprises for their support in providing members with diverse activities and internship opportunities to widen their horizons. 
      
     The SB established the Leaders Forum in October 2022 to enhance youth work. The SB also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Shenzhen University last year to jointly promote Hong Kong-Shenzhen youth development and co-operation through cultural exchanges.

        

     To mark the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Labour Department (LD) and the Occupational Safety and Health Council (OSHC) today (September 21) held the National Day Celebration and Thousand-Person Stretching Exercises event in D·PARK, Tsuen Wan, with 750 participants taking part, setting a new record for the “Largest resistance band demonstration/class” in the Guinness World Records.

     Officiating and speaking at the event, the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, said that this event aims to raise employees’ awareness of doing stretching exercises and promote occupational health. He explained that timely stretching exercises can reduce employees’ muscle ache and risk of injury, improve work performance and create a healthier and more efficient work environment.
      
     Guided by fitness instructors, 750 participants performed a 30-minute resistance band stretching exercise together during the event, setting a world record as a tribute to the motherland, and to demonstrate the unity and collective effort of the Government and various sectors in raising public awareness of occupational health.
      
     The stretching exercise event is one of the key events celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Another highlight is a two-day occupational health carnival being held today and tomorrow (September 21 and 22) by the LD and the OSHC at the same venue. It offers a diverse range of activities, apart from a variety of performances, booth games, occupational health talks as well as photo corners. Health risk assessment stations will also be available, where registered nurses will offer complimentary health checks to enhance public awareness of occupational health.

            

     The Labour Department (LD) today (September 21) reminded employers to make practical and reasonable work arrangements for employees after the cancellation of tropical cyclone warnings or rainstorm warnings, with due consideration to the road and traffic conditions and other factors, and make flexible arrangements for staff to resume work or work remotely (if applicable). This will help maintain good labour-management relations, and ensure the safety of employees as well as the smooth operation of organisations.
      
     “For staff who have genuine difficulties in resuming work on time upon cancellation of a tropical cyclone or rainstorm warning, employers should be sympathetic and handle each case flexibly. For example, employers may allow employees to resume work in stages, permit employees who have difficulties in returning to workplaces to work remotely (if applicable) or allow more time for them to report for duty and resume work,” an LD spokesman said.
      
     The spokesman reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, Employees’ Compensation Ordinance and Minimum Wage Ordinance.
      
     “As natural calamities cannot be avoided, for employees who are not able to report for duty or resume duty on time due to adverse weather or ‘extreme conditions’, employers should neither deduct their wages, good attendance bonus or allowances, nor reduce employees’ entitlement to annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days under the Employment Ordinance, or ask for additional hours of work from employees to compensate for the loss of working hours when they are unable to report for duty,” the spokesman said.
      
     Employers should note that they have an obligation to provide and maintain a safe working environment for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. Moreover, under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or “extreme conditions” is in force.
      
     The LD has published the “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions'”, which provides the major principles, reference guidelines and information on relevant legislation on making work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees. The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department’s webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf). read more

     The Labour Department (LD) today (September 21) reminded employers to make prior work arrangements for employees during and after rainstorm warnings and “extreme conditions” as early as possible, including arrangements on reporting for duty, release from work, resumption of work and remote work (if applicable). These arrangements not only can ensure the safety of employees and smooth operation of organisations, but also are conducive to maintaining good labour-management relations.
 
     “Employers should make prior work arrangements and contingency measures for staff which are reasonably practicable. In drawing up and implementing the work arrangements, employers should give prime consideration to employees’ safety and the feasibility of employees travelling to and from their workplaces. Employers should also give consideration as much as possible to the different situations faced by individual employees, such as their place of residence and the road and traffic conditions in the vicinity, and adopt a sympathetic and flexible approach with due regard to their actual difficulties and needs,” an LD spokesman said.
 
     To avoid misunderstanding, disputes and confusion, employers should consult and engage employees when drawing up the arrangements and make appropriate updates or amendments based on the experience of each occasion and the needs of both employers and employees as well as the actual situations. The work arrangements should cover the following matters:
 
* arrangements in respect of reporting for duty;
* arrangements in respect of early release from work;
* arrangements in respect of resumption of work (e.g. the number of hours within which employees should resume duty after the warning concerned is cancelled or “extreme conditions” comes to an end, when safety and traffic conditions allow);
* arrangements in respect of remote work such as work from home (if applicable) (e.g. duty and work arrangements during and after rainstorm warnings and “extreme conditions”);
* arrangements regarding working hours, wages and allowances (e.g. calculation of wages and allowances in respect of reporting for duty and absence); and
* special arrangements in respect of staff required to report for duty in times of adverse weather or “extreme conditions”.
 
     “Employers should conduct a timely and realistic assessment of whether there is any need for requiring staff to report for duty at workplaces when rainstorm warning or ‘extreme conditions’ is in force. In making the assessment, employers should take into account the safety of employees, the business nature, operational needs and urgency of service, with due regard to the manpower requirements, staffing establishment and individual situations of employees, and keep the number of staff at workplaces to the minimum as far as possible,” the spokesman added.
 
     If a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued during working hours, employees working indoors should continue to work as usual unless it is dangerous to do so. Supervisors of employees working outdoors or in exposed areas should suspend outdoor duties as soon as practicable. They should arrange for their employees to take shelter temporarily and resume duty only when weather conditions permit. If the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is still in force by the end of working hours, employees should stay in a safe place until the heavy rain has passed. A suitable area in the workplace should be made available by employers as temporary shelter for employees.
 
     If the Government makes an “extreme conditions” announcement, apart from those required by employers to report for duty at workplaces, employees are advised to stay in the place they are currently in or in safe places when “extreme conditions” is in force, instead of heading for work. Employees who have already reported for duty at workplaces could continue to work as usual in a safe manner. If the workplaces are in danger, employers should release staff from work early under feasible conditions and in a safe manner or make available a safe place as temporary shelter for employees. If the working time ends while “extreme conditions” is still in force, employers can release employees from workplaces in a safe manner or provide a suitable area as temporary shelter for those still at workplaces.
 
     If it is necessary for employees to report for duty at workplaces under adverse weather or “extreme conditions”, employers should discuss and agree with them in advance on the duty arrangements and contingency measures. If public transport services are suspended or limited when the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or “extreme conditions” is in force, employers should provide safe transport services for employees travelling to and from workplaces, or grant them an extra travelling allowance.
 
     The spokesman reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, Employees’ Compensation Ordinance and Minimum Wage Ordinance.
 
     “As natural calamities cannot be avoided, for employees who are not able to report for duty or resume work on time due to adverse weather or ‘extreme conditions’, employers should neither deduct their wages, good attendance bonuses or allowances, nor reduce employees’ entitlement to annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days under the Employment Ordinance, or ask for additional hours of work from employees to compensate for the loss of working hours when they are unable to report for duty,” he said.
   
     Employers should note that they have an obligation to provide and maintain a safe working environment for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. If employees are required to work in times of tropical cyclone warnings, rainstorm warnings or “extreme conditions”, employers should ensure that the risks at work are reduced as far as reasonably practicable. Moreover, under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or “extreme conditions” is in force.
 
     The LD has published the “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions'”, which provides the major principles, reference guidelines and information on relevant legislation on making work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees. The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department’s webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf). read more

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations: Please broadcast the following special announcement immediately, and repeat it at frequent intervals:      "The Social Welfare Department announces that while the Red… read more