Five-day statutory paternity leave comes into force
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As stipulated in the Employment (Amendment) (No. 3) Ordinance 2018, for male employees with a child born on or after January 18, 2019, their paternity leave entitlement is five days for each confinement of their spouse/partner if they have been employed under a continuous contract and have notified their employers in accordance with the law.
"If an employee wishes to take paternity leave, he must give proper notice to his employer. If the employee has already notified his employer of his intention to take paternity leave at least three months before the expected date of delivery of the child, he may take paternity leave immediately after informing his employer of the actual dates of leave. But if the employee fails to give the three months' advance notice to the employer, he must notify the employer of his dates of paternity leave at least five days before taking leave," a spokesperson for the Labour Department said.
"During the transitional period, if an eligible employee has not given three months' advance notice to his employer of his intention to take paternity leave, even if he has notified his employer of his dates of paternity leave at least five days before taking leave before the commencement of the Amendment Ordinance (which in this case refers to the first three days of paternity leave), before taking the fourth and fifth days of the newly increased paternity leave, he would need to give at least five days' advance notice to his employer of the actual dates," the spokesperson added.
For employers, employees and the public who wish to understand more about this revised statutory benefit, please visit the Labour Department webpage: www.labour.gov.hk/eng/news/EA(3)O2018.htm. For further enquiries, employers and employees may call 2717 1771 (the hotline is handled by 1823) or approach the branch offices of the Labour Relations Division.
Ends/Friday, January 18, 2019
Issued at HKT 12:00
Issued at HKT 12:00
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