The latest unemployment rate in Hong Kong rose to 4.5%, with about 1,579 million unemployed.
The Hong Kong government earlier launched the "Temporary Unemployment Assistance" scheme, which provides 10,000 yuan of assistance to the short-term unemployed. So far, 179,000 applications have been received.
The government said earlier that it will try to handle applications for suspended or unpaid employees from scheduled premises as leniently as possible.
However, under the fifth wave of the epidemic, many industries were affected. Some trade unions said that they received more than 100 requests for help online, all of which were workers who had been suspended without pay in non-listed premises because they were worried that they would not meet the program conditions and could not apply for assistance. Urge the authorities to lift the relevant conditions.
▼On March 23, citizens registered for the government's temporary unemployment support program▼
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Workers in non-scheduled premises have been unable to apply due to the suspension of work and loss of income
In an interview with Hong Kong 01, Director of the Rights and Interests Committee of the Federation of Trade Unions, Qiu Yiu-shing, said that there are now no less than workers from non-listed premises who have been furloughed from work to seek help.
Some of the workers who sought help work in factories that supply schools with bread and all kinds of food. During the fifth wave of the epidemic, they also stopped working and lost their income. However, because they are not listed premises, they may not be able to apply successfully.
Qiu Yaocheng said frankly that workers who have been suspended without pay in non-listed premises will still submit applications, but whether the application is successful or not depends on five or five waves. Really loose processing, approved unemployment assistance.
▼Register on March 23 for "Temporary Unemployment Support" Ten Steps▼
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Long downtime, unemployment aid, a drop in the bucket
Qiu Yaocheng also mentioned that single mothers who work in restaurants started to close their business last month, and it is expected that they will not have the opportunity to resume work until the 21st of next month at the earliest. It is only about 3,000 yuan per month, and the workers have to pay rent and pay for daily expenses. He questioned: "(Workers) have zero income for a few months, and (10,000 yuan in unemployment assistance) help How much? All are better than none.”
As for the government, it has stated that the target target of the plan does not include voluntary resignation employees, but if they are "forced to resign", they can write a statement to explain the situation in detail, and they can be dealt with leniently.
Qiu said that he has not received any requests for help from "forced resignation".
Qiu Yaocheng, Director of the Rights and Interests Committee of the Federation of Trade Unions.
(File photo / Photo by Liang Pengwei)
▼On March 21, the government announced to relax social distancing measures as soon as April 20▼
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Tan Jinlian: Industry restrictions are not necessary
Tan Jinlian, vice-chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Associations and labour representative of the LAB, also mentioned that there are about 200 inquiries about unemployment assistance received on the Internet, of which only one is inquiries from people who have voluntarily resigned, and about half are in Workers in non-listed premises and without pay seek help.
Tan continued to point out that under the fifth wave of the epidemic, many industries that are not listed are also affected. For example, in the retail industry, many shops have not yet reopened, and the income of employees is also greatly affected.
Tan believes that the authorities have stated in the application conditions that work will be suspended for at least 30 days, and the industry restrictions are unnecessary, and urged the authorities to cancel this condition.
▼Market conditions under the epidemic▼
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Urge the authorities to relax the monthly income cap
In addition, Tan said that from October to December last year, the fifth wave of the epidemic had not yet broken out. At that time, many workers, such as chefs in Chinese restaurants, had a monthly income of more than 30,000 yuan, but after the outbreak, they also stopped their mouths. Currently, there is a chance that the application cannot be applied. I hope the authorities will relax the relevant conditions.
Vice Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Associations and Labour Representative of the LAB, Tan Jinlian (second from left).
(File photo/Photo by Liao Yanxiong)
The 10,000 yuan temporary unemployment assistance program has received more than 65,800 temporary unemployment assistance funds of 10,000 yuan on the first day of application｜Five regional centers help to fill in the form, dishwashers and family unemployed, 10,000 yuan of temporary unemployment assistance funds | 60 minutes to upload documents 10,000 yuan Temporary unemployment support 3.23 Accepting applications for at least 30 days of unemployment The monthly salary must be less than 30,000 yuan