************************************************************
To tie in with the first paydays after the implementation of the statutory minimum wage (SMW) from the end of May to early June, the Labour Department launched a Minimum Wage Reference Calculator at its homepage and the GovHK website today (May 25) to assist employers and employees to ascertain whether their wages are up to the SMW level.
A Labour Department spokesman said that the department has launched extensive publicity activities to help employers and employees to understand the calculation of the SMW. For example, a large number of briefings on the Minimum Wage Ordinance have been conducted and reference guidelines on the SMW have been issued. Telephone enquiry and in-person consultation services are provided through the Labour Department's 24-hour enquiry hotline 2717 1771 and district offices of the Labour Relations Division.
To further assist employers and employees in checking whether the minimum wage requirement has been met, the Labour Department rolled out the Minimum Wage Reference Calculator to provide a simple, direct and effective means for computing the minimum wage for the more common work patterns for users' quick and preliminary reference.
Members of the public may make use of the Minimum Wage Reference Calculator at the Labour Department's homepage (www.labour.gov.hk) or the GovHK website (www.gov.hk) to enter some basic information (e.g. the number of working days per week and the amount of wages paid). The calculator programme will then work out the minimum wage amount and compare it with the wages payable to the employee to see if the minimum wage requirement has been met or not. If not, the calculator will show the additional remuneration the employer needs to pay the employee. The calculator will set out the calculations in a report generated by the programme for the reference and retention of employers and employees. The calculator is a simple tool, and accurate calculations will require consideration of other factors such as the terms in the employment contract and the actual hours worked and leave taken in the month.
Ends/Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 18:14
NNNN
