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Policy Address

Employees' Remuneration and Occupational Safety

97. Labour is key to social productivity and should share the benefits of economic growth. To improve labour rights, the Government will:

  1. invite the Minimum Wage Commission to study how to enhance the review mechanism of the statutory minimum wage, including the review cycle, how to improve efficiency, and balancing a host of factors such as the minimum wage level and sustained economic development, and make proposals to the Government;

  2. set a good example and further review the arrangement relating to the employment of non-skilled workers under government outsourced service contracts, including remuneration of workers, as well as relevant monitoring mechanism. We aim to conclude the review by the first quarter of 2023; and

  3. enhance the procedures of the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund, including providing legal services by the Fund to assist employees in filing winding-up or bankruptcy petitions against insolvent employers, so as to expedite the disbursement of ex-gratia payment to affected employees.

98. Many sectors are now seeing a shortage of manpower. To encourage the public to enrol in training and enter the workforce, the Government will invite the Employees Retraining Board to consider raising the daily rate of retraining allowance and providing allowances for half-day courses for implementation by the first quarter of 2023.

99. Fatal industrial accidents result in tragic loss of lives, and cause distress to families over the loss of their loved ones. The Government will spare no effort in investigating each and every incident, pursuing responsibilities of those who should be held accountable and putting in place improvement measures. We will seek the passage of the relevant bill under scrutiny by the LegCo as soon as possible to increase the maximum penalties for occupational safety offences, thereby enhancing their deterrent effect.