Employers and employees should make reasonable work arrangements after tropical cyclones or rainstorms
The Labour Department (LD) today (July 29) reminded employers to make practical and reasonable work arrangements for employees after the cancellation of tropical cyclone warnings or rainstorm warnings, with due consideration to the road and traffic conditions and other factors, and make flexible arrangements for staff to resume work or work remotely (if applicable). This will help maintain good labour-management relations, and ensure the safety of employees as well as the smooth operation of organisations.
"For staff who have genuine difficulties in resuming work on time upon cancellation of a tropical cyclone or rainstorm warning, employers should be sympathetic and handle each case flexibly. For example, employers may allow employees to resume work in stages, permit employees who have difficulties in returning to workplaces to work remotely (if applicable) or allow more time for them to report for duty and resume work," an LD spokesman said.
The spokesman reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, Employees' Compensation Ordinance and Minimum Wage Ordinance.
"As natural calamities cannot be avoided, for employees who are not able to report for duty or resume duty on time due to adverse weather or extreme conditions, employers should neither deduct their wages, good attendance bonus or allowances, nor reduce employees' entitlement to annual leave, statutory holidays or rest days under the Employment Ordinance, or ask for additional hours of work from employees to compensate for the loss of working hours when they are unable to report for duty," the spokesman said.
Employers should note that they have an obligation to provide and maintain a safe working environment for their employees under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. Moreover, under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths incurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residence to their workplace, or from their workplace back to their residence after work, four hours before or after working hours on a day when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or extreme conditions are in force.
The LD has published the "Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and 'Extreme Conditions'", which provides the major principles, reference guidelines and information on relevant legislation on making work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees. The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department's webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf).
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Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and Supreme People's Court co-organise 2nd edition of Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course
The second edition of the Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course, co-organised by the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and the Supreme People's Court, is being held from today (January 14) to January 22. Focusing on company law, this edition will guide participants to gain a deeper understanding of Hong Kong's company law framework.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the course today, the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, said that the first edition of this course, which was held in January last year, was the inaugural programme of the Academy after its launch in 2024, and positive results had been achieved. Mr Lam expressed his gratitude to the Supreme People's Court for their continued support and trust in the Academy. He said that the course is a key initiative to implement the national policy of strengthening Mainland judges' ability to handle foreign-related cases, in line with the priorities anticipated in the 15th Five-Year Plan to be announced in March this year.
Building on the inaugural training course, this edition focuses on company law with the participation of 24 senior judges from 22 courts on the Mainland, including the Supreme People's Court and courts from 12 provinces as well as three direct-administered municipalities. The course will feature an in-depth exploration of Hong Kong's robust company law framework through lectures, dialogue sessions and interactive practices on topics such as company structures, guarantees and liquidations. Speakers of the course include Hong Kong's leading legal scholars, experts and eminent judges in the field of company law, who will share their practical insights into Hong Kong's common law system and company law. With the Ceremonial Opening of the Legal Year 2026 taking place this month, participants will attend this important annual legal event, and visit the courts and international legal institutions in Hong Kong to learn more about Hong Kong's development as a legal hub and a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Academy will continue to leverage the unique advantages of the "one country, two systems" principle and the Hong Kong common law system to organise more capacity-building programmes, thereby promoting judicial and legal exchanges and mutual learning between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and further contributing to the country's efforts to promote the construction of the foreign-related rule of law.
Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and Supreme People's Court co-organise 2nd edition of Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy and Supreme People's Court co-organise 2nd edition of Hong Kong Common Law Practical Training Course Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases
