Latest news with #ChrisSun
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Hong Kong's April-June unemployment holds steady at 3.5%
HONG KONG, July 17 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady at 3.5% in April to June compared with the previous three-month period, with unemployment mainly in the construction, food and beverage service sectors, the government said on Thursday. "The trend of unemployment rate will hinge on the overall economic performance," Chris Sun, secretary for labour and welfare, said in a statement. "The entry of fresh graduates and school leavers during the summer may impact the overall employment situation." The continued expansion of the Hong Kong economy should provide support to the labour market, he added.
RTHK
13-07-2025
- Health
- RTHK
Govt seeks to reassure caregivers over trial scheme
Govt seeks to reassure caregivers over trial scheme Chris Sun says caregivers will retain their eligibility for government subsidies when they are hospitalised. Photo: RTHK Welfare chief Chris Sun said low-income caregivers don't need to worry about their subsidy being cut when a trial scheme offering help to them begins on Monday. The trial is part of the government's efforts to build a database for carers, which was first announced in last year's Policy Address. From Monday morning, the Hospital Authority will notify the Social Welfare Department when a caregiver receiving a low-income subsidy needs to spend time in hospital, to see what help they need. Officials will give the family a call or pay a visit, to see if services such as food delivery or respite services are needed. Sun said on a TVB programme on Sunday that while low-income carers need to give at least 80 hours of care a month to receive the subsidy, that requirement will be waived in the case of hospitalisation. "We will handle such cases with discretion - nobody's subsidy will be docked," the minister said. "So for carers, please do not refuse to go to hospital because you worry about the hourly counts affecting your income." Sun added that under the trial scheme, officials will check the address of the caregiver, but not the reason why he or she is hospitalised, or for how many days. The secretary for labour and welfare also said in the long run, the government aims to build a wider net to support caregivers by extending the trial to cover recipients of other government subsidies.
RTHK
13-07-2025
- Business
- RTHK
Labour import scheme needs to continue: Chris Sun
Labour import scheme needs to continue: Chris Sun Chris Sun rejected a fresh call from trade unionist Bill Tang to suspend the importation of catering workers. File photo: RTHK Labour Minister Chris Sun on Sunday rejected fresh calls to suspend the importation of workers, saying there was an acute labour shortage in many sectors. This came after trade unionist lawmaker Bill Tang said imported labour for the catering sector should be suspended as many locals were concerned about their jobs. Speaking on a TVB programme, Sun said the Enhanced Supplementary Labour Scheme already ensured that locals got priority, as employers can only import workers if they are unable to hire a local after a four-week recruitment exercise. The minister told reporters the government had received more than a hundred complaints of employers sacking locals after hiring imported labour but that, so far, initial evidence suggested there had been just two such cases. "Because we're talking about initial evidence, we cannot implement executive sanctions right away. We need to give the employers time to explain their case to us," Sun said. "But given the evidence, we have put them on our watch list, which means their ongoing import applications have been suspended." Sun said if the violations are substantiated, the authorities will impose sanctions "without hesitation". That means all import applications for the employer concerned will be withdrawn and the employer won't be able to apply to import workers for two years. Meanwhile, the minister said in another related case, an initial probe had found that an employer had refused to hire a local during the four-week recruitment period. Sun said the authorities are now waiting for the employer's reply.
RTHK
12-07-2025
- RTHK
'Web guide to give answers on child abuse reporting'
'Web guide to give answers on child abuse reporting' The government says it will introduce a new web-based tool for professionals to help them comply with a new law requiring them to report suspected cases of child abuse to the authorities starting next year. Labour and welfare minister Chris Sun people who aren't sure whether what kind of cases are reportable would get "peace of mind" after answering around ten questions on the new system. "By way of answering multiple questions, the system will let them know at the end of all the questions whether or not the case is one that they have to report under the law, or it's not a mandatory reporting case," Sun told reporters after attending a radio programme. "The purpose is to make sure that all the professionals have a peace of mind when it comes to the obligations of the law. Through the system, instead of going through a very thick book of reporting guidelines, they can just answer the questions." The Mandatory Report of Child Abuse Ordinance, which will take effect in January next year, requires 25 types of professionals including doctors, social workers and teachers, to report suspected serious maltreatment cases. Those who fail to inform the authorities when they suspect a child is suffering physical, psychological or sexual abuse face a maximum penalty of three months in prison and a HK$50,000 fine. The labour secretary also expressed concern over a fatal industrial accident that happened while the red rainstorm warning was in force. On Thursday, a worker at a site near the border bridge connecting Hong Kong with Macau and Zhuhai died after he was hit by a falling metal beam, while a second worker was injured. "We are investigating the incident and making sure that the employers are doing everything they could to provide all the precautionary measures to make sure that workers are undertaking work in inclement weather are adequately protected," Sun said. The contractor involved has been temporarily suspended from bidding for public road and drainage contracts, or carrying out related works.
RTHK
12-07-2025
- RTHK
'Web guide to give answers on child abuse reporting'
'Web guide to give answers on child abuse reporting' Labour and welfare chief Chris Sun says people can figure out if a suspected offence is reportable by answer around 10 questions on a new web-based system. Photo: RTHK The government says it will introduce a new web-based tool for professionals to help them comply with a new law requiring them to report suspected cases of child abuse to the authorities starting next year. Labour and welfare minister Chris Sun people who aren't sure whether what kind of cases are reportable would get "peace of mind" after answering around ten questions on the new system. "By way of answering multiple questions, the system will let them know at the end of all the questions whether or not the case is one that they have to report under the law, or it's not a mandatory reporting case," Sun told reporters after attending a radio programme. "The purpose is to make sure that all the professionals have a peace of mind when it comes to the obligations of the law. Through the system, instead of going through a very thick book of reporting guidelines, they can just answer the questions." The Mandatory Report of Child Abuse Ordinance, which will take effect in January next year, requires 25 types of professionals including doctors, social workers and teachers, to report suspected serious maltreatment cases. Those who fail to inform the authorities when they suspect a child is suffering physical, psychological or sexual abuse face a maximum penalty of three months in prison and a HK$50,000 fine. The labour secretary also expressed concern over a fatal industrial accident that happened while the red rainstorm warning was in force. On Thursday, a worker at a site near the border bridge connecting Hong Kong with Macau and Zhuhai died after he was hit by a falling metal beam, while a second worker was injured. "We are investigating the incident and making sure that the employers are doing everything they could to provide all the precautionary measures to make sure that workers are undertaking work in inclement weather are adequately protected," Sun said. The contractor involved has been temporarily suspended from bidding for public road and drainage contracts, or carrying out related works.
