Employees' Compensation

The Employees' Compensation Division of the Labour Department
administers the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, ensuring that
injured employees and dependants of deceased employees obtain
compensation from their employers for occupational diseases, injuries or
deaths caused by accidents arising out of and in the course of
employment. It also administers a scheme to provide interest-free loans to
injured employees or dependants of deceased employees who need
financial assistance as a result of a work-related accident.

The Employees' Compensation Assessment Boards, which sit in 13 major
hospitals throughout the territory, are responsible for assessing the loss of
earning capacity of employees injured at work.

The division also assists persons suffering from pneumoconiosis to obtain
compensation under the Pneumoconiosis (Compensation) Ordinance. The
Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund Board, established under the
Ordinance, administers the Pneumoconiosis Compensation Fund from
which compensation for pneumoconiosis is paid. The board also finances
research, educational and publicity activities and rehabilitation
programmes for pneumoconiosis sufferers. Pneumoconiosis sufferers
diagnosed before 1981 are not covered by the Ordinance. They receive
ex gratia payments on a quarterly basis from the government.

The Occupational Deafness Compensation Scheme compensates
employees suffering from occupational noise-induced deafness. It is
administered by the Occupational Deafness Compensation Board which
was established in June 1995.

The Employees' Compensation Assistance Scheme makes payments due
to an injured employee or dependants of a deceased employee where an
employer defaults or an insurer becomes insolvent. It also covers claims
from employers who fail to obtain indemnity from their insolvent insurers.

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