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Written by: Hu Jiaxin
2021-03-17 13:34
Last update date: 2021-03-17 13:36
The new crown pneumonia epidemic continues, and the latest unemployment rate in Hong Kong has risen to 7.2%, the highest since 2004. Many legislators are concerned about why the government has not launched the third phase of the employment guarantee plan to control the unemployment rate.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Law Chi-kwong, explained in an oral question this morning that when the government designed the relevant plan, it was unknown how long the epidemic would last. The entire plan had already spent 90 billion yuan. Based on financial considerations, the authorities had reservations about re-launching the plan.
The leader of the Liberal Party, Zhong Guobin, criticized the government for allowing the unemployment problem to deteriorate.
The Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong said in an oral question from Legislative Council members this morning that the continuation of the epidemic in Hong Kong has severely affected the Hong Kong economy and labor market. The government has been closely monitoring changes in the actual situation.
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Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong said in an oral question from Legislative Council members this morning that the continuation of the epidemic in Hong Kong has severely affected Hong Kong’s economy and labor market. The government has been closely monitoring changes in the actual situation. On the other hand, it has the responsibility to continue to explore strengthening assistance for unemployment. People and families.
He pointed out that in the past year, the government has adopted a series of measures to create and stabilize employment, and significantly increase expenditures in response to the epidemic. The Epidemic Prevention and Anti-epidemic Fund and the measures introduced in last year’s budget have spent more than 300 billion yuan. The government is expected to spend more than 300 billion yuan in 2021. The fiscal deficit amounts to more than 2,500 trillion.
The third phase of employment guarantee will not be pushed because ``it is unknown how long the epidemic will last''
The latest unemployment rate in Hong Kong rose to 7.2%, a 17-year high.
Many members of the Legislative Council are concerned about why the government has not launched the third phase of the employment guarantee plan.
Luo Zhiguang said that when the government designed the relevant plan, it was unknown how long the epidemic would last. The entire plan had already spent 90 billion yuan. Based on financial considerations, the authorities had reservations about re-launching the plan.
Luo Zhiguang agreed that the plan would help ease unemployment.
He pointed out that according to macro data, from June to November last year, the employment guarantee plan could reduce the pressure on the labor market from the epidemic; compared with the months before the third wave of the epidemic in July last year, the number of employed people increased by 50,000. Seeing that the situation has improved," the detailed review will only begin after the completion of special projects.
The leader of the Liberal Party, Zhong Guobin, criticized the government for letting people go unemployed.
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Zhong Guobin approves the government not to push the third period of employment protection "numbness"
Zhong Guobin, the leader of the Liberal Party, criticized the government for letting people go unemployed. "Looking at the unemployment rate and the unemployment rate, the government is numb and let it fend for itself."
Financial councillor Zhang Huafeng is concerned that the epidemic has hit the business of small and medium-sized enterprises, and many logistic employees are given pay and leave. He is concerned about the government's failure to provide support to self-employed and unemployed people.
Luo Zhiguang said that the epidemic has affected employers’ businesses, and companies cannot keep the number of original employees, that is, all employees can continue to work.
He believes that unpaid leave reflects changes in the market and is a kind of job sharing, "that is, returning from 5 days to 4 days. If the job is not shared, the employer can actually fire 20%." He admitted, no Pay leave will affect employees' income, "but it is better than 20% or even 40% of employees being laid off." I hope that both employers and employees will face it together.
Employment Guarantee Program received 1,105 complaints about unreasonable layoffs, accounting for half
Luo Zhiguang also announced that within 3 weeks after the application deadline for the first phase of the Employment Guarantee Program, about 110,000 employers received wage subsidies, accounting for about 70% of successful applicants; within 3 weeks after the deadline for the second phase of the program, about 125,000 Employers receive wage subsidies, which account for about 80% of successful applicants, which is much higher than the first period.
He pointed out that the remaining 20% of the applications will take a long time. Because some applicants did not fully comply with the first phase of the rules and terms, the wage subsidy should be deducted accordingly. In addition, employers participating in schemes other than the MPF and the application materials are all missing. It takes time to apply.
As of March 9 this year, the Labour and Welfare Bureau has received 1,105 reports, of which 51% involved unreasonable layoffs or dismissal of employees, 16% required employees to continue unpaid leave, and 10% of cases involved untimely payment of wages or salary reductions. 2% suspected that the company went bankrupt or changed to an operator.
The review team established by the Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office has completed 1,069 investigations as of March 9 this year. Among them, 608 employers did not fully comply with the terms and must be refunded or fined.
In addition, the authorities also referred 274 complaints to the Labour Department for follow-up, 2 to the Customs and Excise Department, 1 to the Immigration and Inland Revenue Department, and 23 to the MPF Authority for follow-up.
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