Employer sanctioned for violating requirements of local recruitment under Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme
The Labour Department (LD) today (April 14) announced the imposition of an administrative sanction on Ample Professional Services Company Limited. With immediate effect, the LD has terminated the processing of the application under the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme (ESLS) previously submitted by the company. In parallel, the LD will, from today, refuse to process any applications for importing labour under the ESLS submitted by the above company for a period of two years.
A spokesman for the LD said, "The LD earlier received a complaint and, after investigation, substantiated that the company had breached the following local recruitment requirements under the ESLS. An administrative sanction is thus imposed:
(i) cancelling interviews and/or failing to conduct interviews as scheduled for two job seekers without reasonable grounds during the local recruitment exercise;
(ii) changing the recruitment terms of the applied post without the LD's consent, causing one job seeker to decline the employment offer, tantamount to refusing to employ a qualified job seeker without reasonable grounds;
(iii) failing to notify the LD of job seekers' interview results by the specified deadline; and
(iv) providing the LD with false information about the interview results.
The spokesman stressed, "Employers applying for the importation of workers under the ESLS should strictly comply with the scheme requirements, including according priority to employing suitable local workers. The ESLS stipulates that if an employer violates labour or immigration laws, the requirements of the ESLS, or the Standard Employment Contract, the LD will impose an administrative sanction on the employer. Such sanctions may include terminating the processing of submitted applications of the employer, withdrawing approvals for the importation of workers previously granted, and refusing to process any subsequent applications submitted by the employer."
The Labour Department (LD), Photo source: reference image
Applications open for Music Office Summer Music Workshops
Summer Music Workshops organised by the Music Office of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will be held in July and August. The workshops, designed for children and youth aged 4 to 15, aim to encourage them to make good use of their summer vacation, acquire musical knowledge and cultivate their interests in music. Prior music training is not required. The first phase of application is now open and will close on May 7.
The workshops "Parent-child Jolly Music Time" and "The World of Pitch Sensitivity" are designed for children aged 4 to 6. The "Parent-child Jolly Music Time" will enable participants to learn basic music knowledge including note values, music notation, rhythms as well as Chinese and Western musical instruments through interactive music lessons. "The World of Pitch Sensitivity" will adopt an innovative teaching method developed by the research team of the Education University of Hong Kong to enhance participants' sensitivity to pitch and music through a series of singing and rhythm exercises, laying a foundation for further study of music. Participants of both workshops must be accompanied by adults. The tuition fees of the two workshops are both $450.
The workshop "Musical Instrument Kaleidoscope" is designed for children aged 6 to 9. Participants will learn about the appearance, tone colours and characteristics of various Chinese and Western instruments under the guidance of the Music Office instrumental instructors to explore and discover their favourite instruments for their future music learning. Participants must be accompanied by adults. The tuition fee of the workshop is $270.
Dedicated to children aged 6 to 12, the workshop "The Magic of Musical Rhythms" will introduce participants to commonly used musical rhythms with classic musical works as examples to develop their ability in rhythm recognition and music appreciation. Participants aged 6 to 9 must be accompanied by adults. The tuition fee of the workshop is $360.
Another workshop, "iJam Music-making", is open for youngsters aged 10 to 15. Participants should bring their own iPad and pre-install the music app GarageBand to experience the fun of music-making through tablet music software. The tuition fee of the workshop is $540.
All of the above-mentioned workshops will be conducted in Cantonese. A ballot will be held if the classes are oversubscribed. For classes not fully taken up after the first phase of application, in-person applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis from June 25. Participants achieving an attendance rate of 80 per cent will be awarded a certificate of attendance.
Interested persons can visit the Music Office website (www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/mo/activities/schoolprogrammes/summer_music_workshops.html) for online applications. For enquiries, please call 2158 6466 or 3842 7776.
Source: AI-found images
