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The remaining not-yet-effective amendments to the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (ECO) (Cap 282) made under the Certification for Employee Benefits (Chinese Medicine)(Miscellaneous Amendments) Ordinance 2006 (Certification Ordinance) will come into operation today (January 14).
Under these amendments, the employer will continue to be liable to pay the cost of proprietary Chinese medicines (pCm) prescribed to employees who have been injured at work or suffered from prescribed occupational diseases on or after September 1, 2008. However, the pCm should be registered, deemed to have been registered or be exempted from registration under the Chinese Medicine Ordinance (Cap 549) (CMO) or the Chinese Medicines Regulation (Cap 549 sub. leg. F)(CMR). In addition, if the pCm prescribed is one that is exempted from registration under the CMO, the prescription should show the name and quantity of each Chinese herbal medicine contained in the pCm.
A spokesman for the Labour Department (LD) said the Certification Ordinance serves to recognise the medical functions of registered Chinese medicine practitioners under labour laws. Most of the amendments made to the ECO became effective on September 1, 2008. To tie in with the commencement of the provisions relating to the registration of pCm under the CMO and CMR, the remaining not-yet-effective amendments will be brought into operation today.
For information on the major provisions of the ECO, please refer to "A Concise Guide on the Employees' Compensation Ordinance" published by the LD. The Guide can be downloaded from the website of the LD (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/). Enquiries can also be made at the department's hotline 2717 1771.
In tandem with the commencement of the provisions under the ECO, similar amendments under the Pneumoconiosis and Mesothelioma (Compensation) Ordinance will also come into operation today.
Ends/Friday, January 14, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:31
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