The following is issued on behalf of the Standard Working Hours Committee:

     The Standard Working Hours Committee (SWHC) held its 24th meeting today (November 23).

     The Chairperson of the SWHC, Dr Leong Che-hung, said after the meeting, "In the earlier completed Consultation on Working Hours Policy Directions, the SWHC consulted the public on the following four working hours policy directions:

(i) only implementing the 'big frame' (a legislative approach to mandatorily require employers and employees to enter into written employment contracts, which shall include the specified working hours terms, such as overtime compensation arrangements);

(ii) only implementing the 'small frame' (where there is a need for other suitable measures (e.g. setting a working hours standard and an overtime pay rate) to further protect grass-roots employees with lower income, lower skills and less bargaining power); 

(iii) on the premise of implementing the 'big frame', implementing the 'small frame' as well; and 

(iv) not implementing the 'big frame' or the 'small frame' but recommending implementation of other policies/measures pertaining to working hours (e.g. formulating voluntary guidelines according to the needs of individual sectors)." 

     Dr Leong said, "At the meeting held today, the SWHC continued to review and discuss in detail the information and views collected from the working hours survey and two rounds of public consultation conducted earlier. In addition, the SWHC preliminarily discussed the Consultation Report on Legislating for Standard Working Hours submitted by the labour sector to the Chief Executive on November 16."

     Dr Leong also said, "The SWHC welcomes the Government to extend the term of the SWHC for two months up to January 31, 2017, so as to give the SWHC ample time to complete its work and submit a report to the Government."

     Dr Leong was disappointed that the six Labour Advisory Board employee members did not attend the meeting today, and appealed once again for their participation in the remaining work of the SWHC, including discussion of the report recently submitted by the labour sector to the Chief Executive and participation in the drafting of the SWHC Report to the Government, in collaboration with the other members.

     Chaired by Dr Leong, the SWHC comprises members drawn from the labour and business sectors, academia, the community and the Government. For details, please refer to the SWHC website (www.swhc.org.hk).

Ends/Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:00

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