Hong Kong will increase parental leave and special working conditions at festivals for government employees

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Government employees can take three days’ parental leave per year for each child under three years of age and leave work two hours early on or before three of the five festivals.

Starting in April 2025, the HKSAR government will provide three days of parental leave to government employees with children under three years of age. About 12,000 government employees are expected to benefit from this measure.

Civil Service Secretary Ingrid Young attended a policy briefing and meeting of the Legislative Council’s Civil Service Group on Monday (21 October 2024) to detail the Chief Executive’s 2024 policy message.

She said the provision of parental leave to eligible government employees is “a new family-friendly employment measure aimed at supporting families with newborns and creating an environment conducive to childcare, to further demonstrate the government’s commitment to both caring employer and align it with government obligations.” fertility promotion policy.”

This follows the introduction of marriage and compassionate leave for civil servants in April 2024.

On the other hand, starting from January 2025, the government will strengthen the special operating regime at certain festivals or on the eve of their holidays.

By then, government employees will be able to leave work up to two hours earlier on or before a maximum of three of the five festivals.

The move is expected to help employees take care of their family needs during weekdays of certain festivals.

Five festivals or their eves when government employees can leave work two hours earlier:

• Lunar New Year
• Mid-Autumn Festival
• Winter Solstice Day
• Christmas Eve
• New Year’s Day December 31st.

Currently, depending on operational arrangements and provided that the delivery of government services is not affected, government departments may allow government employees to leave work early for up to two hours on or before two of the first four festivals mentioned above. holidays.

Jung added that the Civil Service Bureau is working on the relevant details and implementation mechanisms that will then help put the measure into effect after consultation with staff.