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As the summer vacation will soon begin, the Labour Department has reminded employers to observe the Employment of Children Regulations and the Employment of Young Persons (Industry) Regulations when hiring employees aged below 18.
"Unless with prior approval of the Commissioner for Labour, no person should employ children aged under 13 to work. While children aged 13 or 14 may be employed to work in non-industrial establishments, their employment is subject to the conditions laid down by the Employment of Children Regulations which include the written consent of the child's parent to the employment and the production by the parent to the prospective employer the evidence of the child's completion of Form III or a valid school attendance certificate," a Labour Department spokesman said.
"Those aged 15 or above may generally be employed to work in non-industrial establishments or industrial undertakings. But for those aged below 18 working in industrial undertakings, their working hours and the general conditions of employment are governed by the Employment of Young Persons (Industry) Regulations," he said.
"Any person who contravenes any provisions of the two regulations is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000. Up to today, five employers have been convicted of breaching the two regulations in 2008."
The spokesman highlighted several cases in past years of unlawful employment of children as sales assistants in retail shops and for distribution of flyers in streets by bookstores during the summer months.
The Labour Department will step up inspections particularly to shopping arcades or locations with a concentration of bookstores in the coming summer vacation to detect possible offences.
Employers are advised to refer to the annex for major provisions under the relevant regulations or obtain a copy of the Concise Guide to the Employment of Children Regulations and to the Employment of Young Persons (Industry) Regulations available at the Labour Department's website at www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public.content2_2.htm, or call the Enquiry Hotline at 2717 1771 for more details on the regulations.
Ends/Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:31
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