■飲食業的月入中位數貼近1.1萬港元水平，是受惠行業之一。 資料圖片【原文】下文摘錄自香港《文匯報》2017年6月14日報道：
研究多年的標準工時終有定案，標準工時委員會（Standard Working Hours Committee）提交的報告6月13日獲得通過，報告建議以立法方式規定僱主與基層僱員簽訂書面僱傭合約（employment contract），列明工時及超時工作（overtime）的補償（compensation）安排條款，料2020年底或2021年初實施，61萬名打工仔受惠。
月薪上限1.1萬 倡定工時指引
行政會議（Executive Council）通過該建議，立法規管僱主須與月薪不超過1.1萬港元的基層僱員訂定僱傭合約，當中要列明工時及工作補償的安排，超時工作所獲的補償不能少於協議工資（agreed wage）率或相應的補假（time-off）。
現時全港約有20萬名沒有簽訂書面僱傭合約的僱員，另有40.8萬名有簽訂書面僱傭合約、但沒有訂明每周工時或超時工作的補償方法的僱員。
如以同一工資界線（wage line）計算，現時有55萬名合約無列明如何計算超時工資補償，或補償少於基本工資的僱員，單計「補水」差額已涉及每年5.24億港元開支。
政府並建議為包括安老（elderly services）及零售（retailing）在內的11個行業，制訂工時指引，配合不同行業需要。勞工處（Labour Department）將透過11個行業性三方小組（industry-based tripartite committee），編訂行業的工時標準及超時工作的補償方法等指引內容，供僱主參考（reference）及採用。
未就最高合約工時立法
當局委任勞顧會（Labour Advisory Board）作平台，讓勞資雙方（labor-management）代表討論立法建議內容及實施安排，計劃於明年下半年提交修訂《僱傭條例》予立法會（Legislative Council）審議，料2020年底或2021年初實施。
勞工及福利局（Labour and Welfare Bureau）局長蕭偉強（Siu Wai-keung）表示，1.1萬港元的界線是根據2016年統計處（Census and Statistics Department）有關收入按年調查中第二十個百分位數制定，將工資線訂於1.1萬港元是基於增加僱員權益（rights）保障，亦顧及企業（corporation）的承受力與本港經濟穩妥發展。
根據相關調查，全部行業的每月工資中位數（median monthly wage）均高於1.1萬港元，當中非技術工人、飲食（catering）、物業管理（property management）、保安（security）及清潔服務（cleaning）及雜項活動（miscellaneous activities）分類的中位數貼近1.1萬港元水平。
不過，新建議未有就最高的合約工時（contractual working hours）立法，外界擔憂僱主或會制訂不合理的（unreasonable）合約，亦未必遵從指引。蕭偉強表示，行業性指引根據照顧行業的特殊需要，相信實施書面合約有助監察（supervise）不合理安排，提高工時條款的透明度（transparency），將來若有不合理的工時條款，該些僱主招聘時亦會有困難。
對於不少僱員期望制定標準工時，勞福局指建議實施合約工時兩年後檢討（review）成效（effectiveness）及影響。
Contractual working hours to take effect from 2020
【譯文】A new standard working hours policy was finally formulated as a report submitted by the Standard Working Hours Committee on June 13 was endorsed. The report calls for employers to draft employment contracts for employees, stating their working hours and compensation for overtime. It is expected that around 610,000 employees would benefit from the new policy, which probably takes effect by the end of 2020 or early 2021.
The suggested policy was approved by the Executive Council, ordering employers to sign contracts for workers earning HK$11,000 per month or less. The details of working hours and overtime compensation should be clearly specified and the overtime payment must not be less than the rate of an agreed wage or the equivalent time-off in lieu of pay.
There are currently 200,000 employees working without employment contracts; some 408,000 have contracts but the details of working hours per week and overtime compensation are not clearly stated.
Wage line set at HK$11,000
According to the calculation based on the wage line at HK$11,000 in monthly pay, the estimated overtime pay for some 550,000 workers, who are currently underpaid for working overtime, would amount to HK$524 million annually.
The government has suggested drafting 11 sets of sector-specific working-hour guidelines to meet the needs of different industries, including elderly services and retailing. The guidelines on standard working hours and overtime compensation tailor-made for the sectors will be drafted by the Labour Department's existing 11 industry-based tripartite committees for employers' reference and execution if deemed appropriate.
The draft legislation will be sent to the Labour Advisory Board for a labor-management discussion on the details and arrangement of implementation before it is tabled at the Legislative Council in the second half of next year, with a schedule to take effect by the end of 2020 or early 2021.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Bureau Siu Wai-keung expressed that the wage line of HK$11,000 was at the 20th percentile, according to the Census and Statistics Department's 2016 report on annual earnings and hours survey.
He explained that the measures aimed to guarantee employee rights, but the government would also need to balance the capability of corporations and the sustainable development of economy.
Maximum hours yet to be addressed
A relevant survey has shown that the median monthly wage of all the sectors exceeds HK$11,000, whereas the categories of non-skilled workers, catering, property management, security, cleaning and miscellaneous activities have a median close to the level of HK$11,000.
However, some people have been concerned that the proposed policy does not indicate and stipulate the maximum contractual working hours, and that some employers might not follow the guidelines and would draft unreasonable contracts.
Siu responded that the regulations were created to cater to the special needs of various sectors. He believed that the contracts would serve as an effective means to supervise work time and enhance transparency. He beileved employers who set unreasonable agreements would face difficulties in recruitment.
In response to some employees' request to standardize working hours, the Bureau suggested having a review on the effectiveness and impacts of the newly proposed policy after two years .■龐嘉儀
Q&A
1. 根據瑞士銀行2015年一項全球調查顯示，港人每周工時高達多少？
2. 現時社會主流意見支持每周工時為多少？
3. 以往社會就哪項僱員權益相關的爭議達成了共識？
4. 現時本港法定最低工資為多少？
1. 逾50小時
2. 44小時
3. 最低工資
4. 每小時34.5港元