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The Social Welfare Department (SWD) will launch the Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities (SPED) tomorrow (June 3) and invite employers of persons with disabilities to submit the first round of application.
An SWD spokesman said that the Government has been assisting persons with disabilities to secure employment and have equal access to participation in productive and gainful employment opportunities in the open market.
He said, "To enhance the employment support for persons with disabilities, the SWD will launch the SPED. Employers of persons with disabilities can apply for a one-off subsidy of up to $20,000 for each disabled employee. The subsidy will be used for the procurement of assistive devices and/or workplace modifications to facilitate employees with disabilities to discharge their duties at the workplace and enhance their work efficiency."
A wide range of assistive devices and workplace modifications which cater to the special needs of employees with disabilities at the workplaces will be considered. Examples are procurement of computer accessories or adaptive equipment, optical magnifying device, hearing and assistive devices, Braille products and installation of handrails, etc.
The SWD has commissioned Po Leung Kuk to operate the SPED. Po Leung Kuk will assist to administer and promote the SPED, provide advisory services and follow up the progress of the subsidised items, assess the applications and make recommendations to the Assessment Committee set up by the SWD.
Employers may apply for subsidy under the SPED through the recommendation of the following referring organisations:
(a) non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating SWD-subvented vocational rehabilitation services;
(b) NGOs running training courses for persons with disabilities or persons recovering from work injuries with the funding support of the Employees Retraining Board;
(c) Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department;
(d) the Vocational Training Council; or
(e) the SPED Administrator (Po Leung Kuk)
The deadline for the first round of application is July 19. In future, the SWD will invite application quarterly. Employers may submit their completed application forms together with the required documents by mail or by hand to the SWD through the referring organisations. No application fee is required and each applicant may submit more than one application.
For enquiries, please contact the Po Leung Kuk SPED Office by phone at 3980 9677, by email at sped@poleungkuk.org.hk or by fax at 3980 9633.
For details of the SPED, the information note and the application form of the SPED, please visit and download from the SWD homepage www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_rehab/sub_listofserv/id_sped/ .
Ends/Sunday, June 2, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:01
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