As at June 10, the Social Welfare Department had provided $2 million in financial assistance to 894 SARS patients and their families.

Families of three Hospital Authority healthcare staff who died of SARS each received $3 million under the Government's scheme that provides financial assistance to family members of those who sacrifice their lives to help others.

Speaking in the Legislative Council today, Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food Dr Yeoh Eng-kiong said the authority plans to set up a fund to support the education of the children of the deceased staff.

It is also considering the provision of a special recuperation grant to staff infected with SARS while on duty.

The department has allocated two funds to help people affected by SARS. The Emergency Financial Assistance Scheme for the Prevention of the Spread of SARS is for people who are close contacts of SARS patients and who are put under home confinement. About $600,000 has been approved for 725 cases.

The second fund covers emergency financial assistance for eligible families of SARS patients for living and burial expenses. So far, 69 applications for cash grants for living expenses totalling $300,000 and 100 applications for burial grants totalling $1.1 million have been approved.

The department has also been entrusted to administer two non-Government funds, and to allocate grants to those eligible.

The first is the Business Community Relief Fund for Victims of SARS. As at June 10, 518 applications involving $13.9 million had been approved.

The other is the We Care Education Fund which is a long-term education fund for children in Hong Kong who have lost a parent to SARS.

Dr Yeoh said if an employee is forced to take no-pay leave or is dismissed because of SARS infection or other reasons, they may approach the Labour Relations Division of the Labour Department for assistance.

Employees' rights and benefits are governed by the Employment Ordinance and the employment contract between employers and employees, he said.

If employers wish to dismiss employees, they must abide by the provisions of the ordinance and the employment contract, and make termination payments to the employees concerned.

Authority staff who have contracted SARS while on duty are compensated in accordance with the provisions of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance.

As at June 13, the department had received five claims relating to SARS. Two involved alleged dismissal of SARS-infected employees during sick leave and the isolation period. Both cases were resolved after conciliation.

The department is also following up on the other three cases involving the death of an employee because of SARS, a claim for sickness allowance by employees who were required to undergo medical checkups, and the alleged dismissal of a SARS infected employee during sick leave.