The fifth wave of the epidemic has intensified. The government implemented a fence and quarantine in many buildings in Kwai Chung Village earlier, which affected the work of some residents, including being deducted from the company's salary or forced to take unpaid leave.
The outside world has been asking the government to protect citizens and get sick leave during quarantine.
Law Chi-kwong, Secretary for Labour and Welfare, recently stated that after research, he believes that the amendment is not feasible, and it can only depend on the negotiation between the employer and the employer.
Law Chi-kwong changed his tone at the Legislative Council's Manpower Committee today (4th), saying that the government is considering amending the Employment Ordinance to treat the inability to go to work due to compulsory quarantine as sick leave, which will be submitted to the Legislative Council for deliberation when necessary. Work quickly.
He also clarified that the definition of sick leave in the current regulations does not include compulsory quarantine, whether it is sent to a quarantine center or in-situ isolation, stressing that the problem can only be solved after amendments to the regulations.
Statutory sick leave coverage is not available whether in camp or residential isolation
Lam Chun-shing, a member of the Election Committee and chairman of the AFL, questioned why he did not refer to the practice during SARS in 2003 and issued sick leave certificates to citizens who needed to be quarantined in the form of guidelines. Have the guidelines changed?” He said that he received many complaints from the besieged residents that it was difficult to seek help from the Labour Department, and hoped that the authorities would promote more hotlines.
Law Zhiguang said that the understanding in 2003 was different from the current understanding. Legally, it remains to be clarified whether holding a doctor's certificate is regarded as sick leave, and it must be dealt with through amendments.
Is there sick leave for the quarantine camp?
The government was bombarded with inconsistent accounts
Labor member Zhou Xiaosong was surprised that the Food and Health Bureau did not send staff to attend. "Are you really busy? It's not the end of the year?" He also pointed out that the government calls on employers to be considerate of employees, but employees are innocent. Employers should be considerate of the government's anti-epidemic work, and question the government's feeling of being out of the way.
The Federation of Trade Unions Lu Chung-hsiung pointed out that in response to a member's question last year, the government had stated that it had issued sick leave certificates to those who entered designated isolation centers, but now said that people in compulsory quarantine would not be issued sick leave certificates. I".
His peers criticized the Food and Health Bureau for not sending officials to attend the meeting.
Law Zhiguang said that the Food and Health Bureau is dealing with the epidemic situation urgently, and hoped that members would understand.
He explained that a person under quarantine will be issued a medical certificate, which states that the person is under quarantine and not sick, but the current Employment Ordinance requires proof that the person is sick to be considered sick leave, so it is necessary to amend the regulations.
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Manufacturers' Associations Advocate Restriction to Travel and Other Hard-hit Industries Feasible, allowances are also worried about the outbreak of Kwai Chung Village | The Federation of Trade Unions received 70 requests a week for help. Residents were deducted from their employers’ wages, placed on unpaid leave, and sent to Penny’s Bay for compulsory quarantine. what a response