*******************************************************
The Civil Service Bureau launched today (April 3) a four-month consultation on extension of the service of civil servants, which would last until August 2, 2014.
The Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Paul Tang, said, "In the face of the demographic challenges arising from an ageing population and a shrinking labour force, the Government, being the largest employer in Hong Kong, considers it an opportune time to examine possible options for extending the working life of civil servants so as to enable us to better respond to such challenges. At the same time, in anticipation of the higher wastage of civil servants in the coming years mainly due to the expansion of the civil service in the 1980s, we see the need to examine whether there are any operational and/or succession issues that need to be addressed.
"Following an internal study, we propose a framework embracing a range of flexible retirement and employment initiatives for extending the service of civil servants with a view to keeping pace with the demographic changes of society, and addressing the different operational and succession needs of individual grades/departments at different times as well as the aspirations of different cohorts of civil servants."
As set out in the consultation paper, the proposed framework embraces the following retirement and employment initiatives:
(a) to adopt a higher retirement age for civil service new recruits as from a future date. Specifically, it is proposed that the retirement age of new recruits for the civilian grades be extended by five years to 65. For the disciplined services, it is proposed that the retirement age for new recruits of all the disciplined services grades, regardless of their ranks, be set at 57, but may be further extended up to the age limit of 60 subject to an annual suitability assessment;
(b) to provide Heads of Grade/Department with more flexibility to further employ serving officers, on a needs and selective basis, after they have reached retirement age to fill civil service posts;
(c) to introduce a new "Post-retirement Service Contract Scheme" for engaging retired civil servants on contract terms, on a targeted basis, to fill non-directorate positions for undertaking ad hoc duties requiring specific civil service expertise or experience; and
(d) to streamline the control regime of post-service employment for non-directorate civil servants at junior ranks to facilitate their taking up of outside work after retirement, if they so wish.
"Over the next four months, we look forward to receiving views and suggestions from all concerned parties. We will engage in active exchange with the staff sides, grade/department management and other parties concerned. In parallel, we will assess in detail the financial implications, in the long term, of the proposed initiatives," Mr Tang said.
"In the light of the views received through this consultation and further examination of the relevant issues including the financial implications of the proposals, the Administration would decide on the way forward and work out the implementation details."
The consultation paper can be downloaded from www.csb.gov.hk/english/publication/2567.html. Staff, grade/departmental management and concerned parties are welcome to send their views and suggestions by mail to the Appointment Division, Civil Service Bureau, 8/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong, or by fax to 2530 1265, or by email to views_retirement@csb.gov.hk on or before August 2, 2014.
Ends/Thursday, April 3, 2014
Issued at HKT 15:27
NNNN
