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Government appeals to employers to make arrangements to reduce risk of spread of novel coronavirus in community
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     In relation to a mandatory quarantine on all people entering Hong Kong from the Mainland, the Government appeals to employers to work out necessary arrangements in consultation with their employees working across the border.

     â€‹With effect from today (February 8), the Government issues quarantine orders to all people entering Hong Kong from the Mainland, including Hong Kong residents, Mainland residents and visitors from other places. People concerned shall stay at home or other accommodation for a 14-day compulsory quarantine. For those entering Hong Kong via other places, if they have been to the Mainland in the past 14 days preceding arrival at Hong Kong, mandatory quarantine will still be applicable upon their arrival. To ensure that freight between Hong Kong and the Mainland would not be affected, the Government will exempt people in the relevant businesses and work who need to frequent between the two places from the mandatory quarantine. The Department of Health (DH) will arrange medical surveillance for persons under the exempted categories in the Compulsory Quarantine of Certain Persons Arriving at Hong Kong Regulation during their stay in Hong Kong.

     Where an employee has contracted a disease, the employer should grant that employee sick leave in accordance with the requirements under the Employment Ordinance or the relevant employment contract. If an employee is required or ordered by a Health Officer to be put under quarantine, he will be issued a medical certificate. We encourage employers to be considerate and show understanding to such employees' situation and make flexible arrangements, including where practicable allowing employees to work from home or granting paid leave to them. This will help maintain good labour-management relations and protect the health of all the employees as well as the community. For enquiries on employment rights and benefits, please call the Labour Department's 24-hour enquiry hotline at 2717 1771 (the hotline is manned by 1823).    
 
Ends/Saturday, February 8, 2020
Issued at HKT 19:50
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