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The Labour Department today (June 24) reminded employers of full-time and part-time domestic helpers that they had the legal obligation to take out insurance policies to cover their liabilities under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (ECO) and at common law for work injuries of their helpers.

"The ECO has clearly provided that an employer shall be liable to pay compensation for work injuries to their employees irrespective of whether they work full-time or part-time," a spokesman for the department said.

In view of the current trend that quite a number of households employ part-time domestic helpers, the Labour Department has stepped up publicity efforts to remind such employers to take out insurance cover as required under the ECO through various means. These include:

* publicising the message through the "Frequently Asked Questions" of the web site of the department;

* issuing letters and publicity leaflets to mutual aid committees and owners' corporations throughout the territory;

* distributing publicity leaflets to employers and potential employers of domestic helpers through the training bodies under the Employees Retraining Board; and

* highlighting the compulsory insurance requirements through the acknowledgement receipts issued to employers who have placed job vacancy orders to the Job Vacancy Processing Centre of the department.

"Apart from protecting workers, employees' compensation insurance also works in the interest of employers. Employers who have taken out such insurance are safeguarding themselves against substantial compensation payment from their own pocket should work accidents occur," the spokesman continued.

He said that there had been court judgments for more than $10 million damages in common law for a single work accident.

"The department takes a serious view on compliance with the compulsory insurance provision. Our labour inspectors conduct frequent inspections to workplaces to see if there is any violation of the law. The maximum penalty for employers committing the offence is a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for two years," he said.

The department has produced a new leaflet highlighting the compulsory insurance requirements for employment of domestic helpers. It can be obtained from the Employees' Compensation Division branch offices throughout the territory. Enquiries about the ECO can be made on the department's hotline 2717 1771.

End/Sunday, June 24, 2001

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