An ordinance which seeks to improve the compensation for people with occupational deafness under the Occupational Deafness (Compensation) Ordinance has been gazetted.

The ordinance will also adjust the rate and proportions of distribution of the Employees' Compensation Insurance (ECI) Levy charged under the Employees' Compensation Insurance Levies Ordinance.

The Occupational Deafness (Compensation) (Amendment) Ordinance 2010 will come into operation on a day to be appointed by the Secretary for Labour & Welfare by notice published in the Gazette.

With the commencement of the ordinance, improvement measures will be introduced to the Occupational Deafness Compensation Scheme. They include:

* extending the coverage of compensation to employees who have developed noise-induced deafness in only one ear because of their employment;

* increasing the maximum reimbursable amount for the expenses incurred in purchasing, repairing and replacing hearing assistive devices from $18,000 to $36,000, and increasing the first-time reimbursable amount for such devices from $9,000 to $12,000; and

* providing further compensation for claimants whose hearing losses deteriorate as a result of their continued employment in noisy occupations for three years after their previous applications.

Currently, the Employees' Compensation Insurance Levies Management Board charges on the premium of each ECI policy taken out by employers an ECI levy at the rate of 6.3% for distribution to three statutory bodies.