Employees Retraining Board
The Employees Retraining Board is an an independent statutory body that co-ordinates, funds and monitors appointed training bodies to offer training courses and services designed to meet the growing needs and rapid changes in the market.
Labour Department
The Labour Department provides training and employment services, manages risks to people's safety and health at work, fosters harmonious labour relations, and improves and safeguards employees' rights and benefits in an equitable manner.
The proposed Work Incentive Transport Subsidy Scheme will be tabled at the Legislative Council’s Manpower Panel on Thursday.
Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung told the media today the scheme will help employed members of low-income families with their commuting expenses. It will benefit all workers, including the self-employed, in low-income families who are lawfully employable in Hong Kong.
The monthly subsidy, $600 for each qualified applicant, will be provided on a recurrent basis. There is no deadline for application. Eligible applicants can continue to receive the subsidy as long as they meet the criteria.
“The new scheme is designed to benefit as many people as possible. By including self-employed people, we are mindful of the situation that a lot of people are now working on a self-employed basis. Our coverage is now more comprehensive, benefiting more people,” he said.
Applicants will be means-tested on a household basis and, subject to all the eligibility criteria being met, the subsidy will be payable to each household applicant. A household-based means test is considered more equitable than one that assesses only the individuals’ income and assets, he said.
An applicant must work a minimum of 72 hours a month to be eligible. The Labour Department and Employees Retraining Board will provide enhanced services to those working longer hours.
“The department will on its website provide a special section on part-time jobs in future. The board will step up its matching service on its special platform for domestic helpers. We hope through this direct practical help, we can help those looking for part-time jobs have access to these jobs in future,” Mr Cheung said.
It is estimated 330,000 low-income employees will be eligible under the new scheme. If half of them apply for the subsidy, it is forecast to cost the Government $3.88 billion in the first three years of operation.
Mr Cheung said if the LegCo Finance Committee approves it by the end of January, applications will be accepted in the third quarter of 2011.
