Hong Kong's Employment Ordinance (Cap. 57) provides various types of paid and unpaid leave to ensure employees’ personal, family, and health needs are met. Here’s a breakdown of the main leave types available:
Paid Leaves
Maternity Leave
Duration: Female employees are entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave, including 4 weeks before the expected date of delivery and the remainder after childbirth.
Eligibility: The employee must have been employed by the same employer for at least 40 weeks before taking the leave. A medical certificate confirming the pregnancy is required.
Compensation: Employees on maternity leave are entitled to receive 4/5 of their daily wage during the leave period.
Paternity Leave
Duration: Male employees (or the second parent) are entitled to 5 days of paternity leave following the birth of their child.
Eligibility: To qualify, the employee must have been employed for at least 40 weeks before taking the leave, with a medical certificate required.
Compensation: Employees on paternity leave are entitled to receive 4/5 of their daily wage.
Unpaid Leave
Duration: Employees may request unpaid leave for personal reasons. This type of leave requires approval from the employer.
Eligibility: No statutory requirements apply to unpaid leave, but it must be mutually agreed upon between the employer and the employee.
Compensation: No compensation is provided during the unpaid leave period.
These leave entitlements ensure employees can balance their work responsibilities with personal and family needs while receiving fair compensation where applicable.