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The Labour Department reminded school leavers and summer job-seekers to beware of employment traps and highlights of labour laws and occupational safety matters.
"When looking for jobs, school leavers and summer job-seekers should be realistic and cautious. They should beware of dubious recruitment advertisements, especially for highly-paid positions requiring barely any skills or academic qualifications," a spokesman for the department said today (June 17).
"They should also pay attention to the major provisions of the Employment Ordinance so as to avoid being owed wages by employers and unnecessary labour disputes."
"Before signing an employment contract, they should make sure they understand and accept all the terms in the contract. If the employer proposes to vary the terms of employment or work nature after a contract is signed, they should obtain detailed information about these changes before considering whether to accept them," he said.
The spokesman stressed that job-seekers must decline jobs that may involve unlawful or immoral behaviour. They must think carefully before accepting any demands from an employer to pay fees, such as registration fees, or cash payment for training, investment or purchase of goods.
"Job-seekers should also beware of the situation that swindlers, under the pretext of recruitment, may obtain from them personal data, such as information on bank accounts and credit cards, for unlawful purposes."
"If they have any doubts or problems, they should immediately consult their parents or teachers or seek assistance from appropriate authorities such as the Police and the Consumer Council," he said.
Under the Employment Ordinance, employees are entitled to basic protection which includes wage payment protection, restrictions on wage deductions and granting of statutory holidays. Employers have to pay wages to employees within seven days upon the expiry of a wage period or termination of an employment contract.
Employees who are employed under a "continuous contract" (i.e. employees who have been employed continuously by the same employer for four weeks or more, with at least 18 hours worked in each week) are further entitled to other rights and benefits such as rest days, paid annual leave, pay for statutory holidays and sickness allowance.
He added that jobs in certain industries or establishments were expected to be taken up by job-seekers in the capacity of "self-employed persons". There exists no employment relationship between the student and the company. Persons engaged under such a contract may not enjoy the protection of the Employment Ordinance, and may even expose themselves to other risks.
Moreover, except under special circumstances prescribed by the law, if employees want to terminate their employment contracts, they should give prior notice to the employer according to the employment contract and the Employment Ordinance. Otherwise, they should pay the employer wages in lieu of notice.
On the other hand, young job-seekers are advised to pay particular attention to occupational safety and health to avoid work injuries.
"They should carefully assess their own capabilities before taking up a job and pay close attention to the work environment to identify possible hazards."
"They should follow the safety guidelines provided by their employers to prevent work injuries," the spokesman said.
He pointed out that the most common accidents involving summer job workers were slips or trips, striking against objects, injuries by hand tools, and contact with hot surfaces or substances.
"Those who work in catering establishments should exercise extra care to avoid work injuries as they may be required to work on a slippery floor, use sharp knives or come into contact with hot cooking equipment."
"Potentially hazardous jobs such as those involving the operation of woodworking and dangerous machinery or the handling of chemicals may not be suitable for school leavers or summer job-seekers, who are inexperienced and have not received proper training," he said.
Under the law, people under 18 years of age are not allowed to operate any power-driven lifting appliances or loadshifting machinery, or to give signals to the drivers of such lifting appliances. They are also not allowed to work on suspended working platforms or inside confined spaces.
The law also forbids untrained people under the age of 18 to work on construction sites.
To advise school leavers and summer job-seekers to stay alert of employment traps, the department has stepped up promotional activities that include production of posters for display and leaflets for distribution at secondary schools, universities, public libraries, youth centres and the Home Affairs Department's district offices.
All relevant information is uploaded to the web page on "Summer Jobs Employment" (http://www.jobs.gov.hk/eng/summertemp/index.aspx). Publicity message has also been broadcast through the radio, the 12 Job Centres of the Labour Department, as well as other outdoor electronic media. Enquiries can be made at the department's hotline 2717 1771.
Ends/Sunday, June 17, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:01
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