Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Ratification: 1997)

Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Active labour market policies. Consultation with the social partners. In reply to the previous direct request, the Government indicates in its report that years of infrastructure projects and fiscal stimulus measures have created ample job opportunities resulting in alleviation of the impact of the financial crisis. The Committee notes the detailed statistics provided on employment and unemployment disaggregated by sector, age and sex. The Committee notes that the unemployment rate has stalled with 3.4 per cent in 2011, 3.3 per cent in 2012 and 3.4 per cent in 2013. It also notes that the total employment grew by 2.9 per cent in 2011, 2.4 per cent in 2012 and then increased by 1.8 per cent in 2013. The Government indicates its strategy of supporting enterprises to preserve employment and reports that the spending performance of the Capital Works Programme in 2013–14 reached HK$70 billion increased from HK$62.4 billion in 2012–13, providing continuous employment opportunities for the construction industry. The Committee notes that the Government launched the Work Incentive Transport Subsidy (WITS) Scheme in 2011 to provide transport subsidies to low-income earners to help them secure and stay in employment. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing updated information on the active employment policies and measures and the results thereof. The Committee also invites the Government to include views of the social partners involved in formulating and implementing labour market measures.

Vulnerable groups of workers. The Committee notes that the Labour and Welfare Bureau (LWB) launched the Talent-Wise Employment Charter and Inclusive Organisations Recognition Scheme in September 2013 to promote the employment of persons with disabilities. Moreover, the Selective Placement Division (SPD) of the Labour Department (LD) further enhanced the Work Orientation and Placement Scheme (WOPS) in June 2013 by introducing a two month work adaptation period of increased financial incentive provided to employers and the ceiling. The Government indicates that the Social Welfare Department (SWD) launched the Support Programme for Employees with Disabilities in June 2013 to provide a one-off subsidy up to HK$20,000 for employers of employees with disabilities for the procurement of assistive devices and workplace modifications. The SWD also launched the Integrated Employment Assistance Programme for Self-reliance (IEAPS) in January 2013 to support able bodied unemployed Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients and single parents and child carers on CSSA. The Employees Retraining Board (ERB) offers vocational trainings to enhance the employability of persons with disabilities, persons who recovered from work injuries, rehabilitated ex-drug abusers and ex-offenders and ethnic minorities. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on measures taken to address the employment needs of vulnerable groups of workers.

Employment services. The Committee notes that the Labour Department received 3,428,875 job vacancies and secured a total of 470,400 placements during the reporting period, representing an increase of 65.5 per cent and 10.6 per cent respectively when compared to the corresponding period in 2008-11. The LD further enhanced the Employment Programme for the Middle-aged (EPM) in June 2013 by increasing the upper limit of training allowance. The Government indicates that the Hong Kong Council of Social Service (HKCSS), NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, provides various employment services collaborating with the Government. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the programmes of the employment services and the results of the measures implemented.

Youth employment. The Government indicates that in 2013 the Youth Employment and Training Programme (YEPT) increased the training allowance payable to employers engaging young people in on-the-job training and to trainees completing the one-month attachment and participating in pre-employment training. It also indicates that Youth Employment Resource Centres (YERCs) rendered employment services to 73,758 and 74,850 young people respectively in 2012 and 2013. The Employees Retraining Board launched the Specialized Security Services Training Programme in 2013–14 to train young people in high end property management and security services. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the results of the measures and programmes implemented to promote youth employment.

Vocational training. In reply to the previous request, the Government provides evaluations of the impact of the measures of the Vocational Training Council (VTC), the Construction Industry Council (CIC), the Clothing Industry Training Authority (CITA), the Hong Kong Productivity Council and the ERB’s training services. The Government indicates that the ERB launched the Smart Baby Care Scheme in June 2013 to centrally administer postnatal and child care job vacancies and provide improved postnatal care training. The Committee invites the Government to continue providing information on the measures implemented to promote vocational training and on the consultation with the local authorities and social partners in the implementation of training policies and programmes.