Legco passes bill to expand part-timers' access to more employment benefits
發佈日期: 2025-06-18 19:59
TVB News
The Legislative Council today passed the Employment (Amendment) Bill.
The move will ease requirements for continuous employment contracts so that employees who work 68 hours in a four-week period are entitled to certain rights and benefits, including statutory holidays.
Currently, Hong Kong employees who are entitled to annual leave, statutory holidays and other benefits must comply with the "continuous contract" requirement, which has been in place for more than 30 years.
That means the worker must be employed by the same employer for four consecutive weeks and work at least 18 hours per week.
After the amendment, the requirement will be relaxed to 68 working hours over four consecutive weeks.
But concerns linger among labour union members.
Trade unionist and lawmaker Lam Chun-sing from the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions said after the legislative amendment, if an employer cuts the worker's working hours to less than 68 hours over four weeks the employee may have no choice but to accept it.
Lawmaker Stanley Ng from the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions said even though the new regulations can benefit 11,400 employees, a large number of part-time and casual workers are still excluded.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun said the revised regulations have made it costlier and harder to bypass them.
Transport sector lawmaker Frankie Yick from the Liberal Party, meanwhile, expressed worries that as part-time drivers become full-time workers, operating costs will be increased by at least 20 percent, with entitlements to statutory holidays, paid annual leave, sick leave, severance payment and more.
Retail sector lawmaker Peter Shiu flagged potential loopholes that would allow some part-time workers to take up several jobs with multiple benefits. He questions if people would still want to work full-time with such perks.
The amendment bill was passed by lawmakers with 84 votes in favour and three Liberal Party members opposing the amendment. The new rules will be implemented six months after the gazettal of the amended bill.
