Title:
Creating Employment Opportunities for the Disabled Persons &
Realization of Minimum Wages
Research Unit:
為殘疾人士創造就業機會及落實最低工資
Creating Employment Opportunities for the Disabled Persons &
Realization of Minimum Wages
Nature: Social issue (from Chinese to English)
社區發展動力培育
Community Development Initiative Foundation
Date: January 2010
1.1 經勞工界和基層團體多年的爭取，最低工資已開始展開立法程序，相信香港在不久將來應可落實最低工資。不過，仍有部份商界人士和勞顧會的資方代表表示最低工資只會增加成本，變相影響勞工的就業機會。而過去普遍不太願意聘用殘疾人士的部分資方代表更表示，如將殘疾人士納入最低工資的保障範圍，僱主極可能因此而棄用殘疾人士，令殘疾人士的就業情況更為困難。為此，有商界人士主張最低工資應豁免殘疾人士，以保障他們的就業機會。
1.1 After years of battle by the labour sector and public entities, the issue of minimum wages is already in the process of legislation. It is believed that the realization of minimum wages is possible in the near future of Hong Kong . However, there are still some representatives from the commercial sector and the employers of Labour Advisory Board who consider it would increase the costs, which may subsequently affect the employment opportunities of the employees. For those employers who are not willing to recruit disabled persons have even indicated that, they may minimize the chances of recruiting them if they are under the protection of minimum wages. Incidentally, it may worsen the employment opportunities of disabled persons. Hence, some representatives from the commercial sector have proposed that the disabled persons should be exempted from the protection of minimum wages, with a view to protect their employment opportunities.
2. 殘疾人士的現況
2. Current Situation of Disabled Persons
3. 政府現行鼓勵殘疾人士就業的政策
3. HKSAR Government’s Current Policies on Motivating Disabled Persons for Employment
4. 為殘疾人士提供收入保障的需要
4. To Provide Income Protection for the Disabled Persons
5. 結語：創造就業及最低工資需同步進行
5. Conclusion: Synchronization of Creating Employment and Minimum Wages
5.1 工資偏低和就業機會不足同樣是殘疾人士目前面對的就業難題。如只推行最低工資，僱主定必捨難取易，放棄聘用殘疾人士，令他們僅餘的就業機會也付諸東流。若就業配額得不到最低工資的配合，殘疾人士定必成為顧主們壓價的對象。因此，我們堅決認為兩者缺一不可，必需同時執行。若有人問殘疾人士需要的是合理工資，還是僅有的工作機會？我們會回答：兩者皆要！因為工作是所有人的基本權利，而合理工資是社會公義的踐行。希望政府在制訂政策時，不要漠視殘疾人士目前面臨的困境。
5.1 Low income and inadequate employment opportunities are the major problems for disabled persons currently. If only “minimum wages” is imposed, employers must prefer the easy option which is to abandon recruiting the disabled persons, thus it must deprive of their employment opportunities. If the employment quota is not compatible with the minimum wages, disabled persons must be the subjects to be deprived by the potential employers. Therefore, CDIF strongly believe that the two issues must be executed at the same time. If anyone is asking whether the disabled persons should be provided with reasonable wages or the provision of employment opportunities alone, we would answer: “both”! It is because employment is the basic rights for everyone, thus reasonable wages is the implementation of social justice. CDIF hope when the government is legislating the policies, they should not ignore the current difficulties the disabled persons are facing.
Community Development Initiative Foundation
Researchers:張超雄博士，蘇恒泰先生Dr Fernando Chiu-Hung Cheung & Mr Rex So Hang-Tai
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1. 引言
1. Introduction
1.1 After years of battle by the labour sector and public entities, the issue of minimum wages is already in the process of legislation. It is believed that the realization of minimum wages is possible in the near future of Hong Kong . However, there are still some representatives from the commercial sector and the employers of Labour Advisory Board who consider it would increase the costs, which may subsequently affect the employment opportunities of the employees. For those employers who are not willing to recruit disabled persons have even indicated that, they may minimize the chances of recruiting them if they are under the protection of minimum wages. Incidentally, it may worsen the employment opportunities of disabled persons. Hence, some representatives from the commercial sector have proposed that the disabled persons should be exempted from the protection of minimum wages, with a view to protect their employment opportunities.
2. 殘疾人士的現況
2. Current Situation of Disabled Persons
3. 政府現行鼓勵殘疾人士就業的政策
3. HKSAR Government’s Current Policies on Motivating Disabled Persons for Employment
4. 為殘疾人士提供收入保障的需要
4. To Provide Income Protection for the Disabled Persons
5. 結語：創造就業及最低工資需同步進行
5. Conclusion: Synchronization of Creating Employment and Minimum Wages
5.1 工資偏低和就業機會不足同樣是殘疾人士目前面對的就業難題。如只推行最低工資，僱主定必捨難取易，放棄聘用殘疾人士，令他們僅餘的就業機會也付諸東流。若就業配額得不到最低工資的配合，殘疾人士定必成為顧主們壓價的對象。因此，我們堅決認為兩者缺一不可，必需同時執行。若有人問殘疾人士需要的是合理工資，還是僅有的工作機會？我們會回答：兩者皆要！因為工作是所有人的基本權利，而合理工資是社會公義的踐行。希望政府在制訂政策時，不要漠視殘疾人士目前面臨的困境。
