The Employment (Amendment) Bill 2025, which seeks to revise the working hours threshold of the continuous contract requirement under the Employment Ordinance, was published in the Government Gazette today.

The move also aims to make it easier for employees to meet the revised continuous contract requirement and thus be able to enjoy comprehensive employment benefits.

The weekly working hours threshold of the continuous contract requirement will be lowered from 18 hours to 17 hours. Moreover, a week with less than 17 working hours will still be regarded as a period under the continuous contract of employment once the sum of the working hours of that week and those of the three weeks immediately preceding it reaches 68 hours.

The Labour Department said that the existing eligibility criteria for employees to enjoy various statutory benefits under the ordinance will remain unchanged.

It added that subject to a smooth passage of the bill, the amendment ordinance will come into operation on the first Sunday after six months upon its gazettal.

During this period, the department will widely publicise the salient features of the amendments to employers and employees, facilitating both parties in getting prepared.

The bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council for first and second readings on April 16.