In tandem with the abolition of the offsetting arrangement under the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) System on 1 May 2025 (i.e. transition date), the Labour Department launches the Subsidy Scheme for Abolition of MPF Offsetting Arrangement (SSA).   SSA shares out employers’ expenses on severance payment (SP) / long service payment (LSP) in respect of their employees’ employment period on or after the transition date onwards (i.e. the post-transition portion of SP/LSP) by providing employers with subsidies for 25 years with a view to helping employers gradually adapt to the policy change.   Employers may make application for subsidy under SSA for the post-transition portion of SP/LSP payable to an employee if:

• the employer concerned has paid SP/LSP to the employee in full;
• the employee is eligible for SP/LSP as stipulated in the Employment Ordinance;
• the employer is obliged to enrol the employee under an MPF scheme in accordance with the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance, or an occupational retirement scheme exempted under the Ordinance during the whole or part of the post-transition employment period, and make contributions;
• the relevant date of termination of employment of the employee falls between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2050 (both dates inclusive); and
• the post-transition portion of SP/LSP paid to the employee has not been/will not be fully covered/subsidised by other government funding.

  Please visit the TransitionEase Portal or refer to the attached leaflet for more details.   Website QR code – The TransitionEase Portal   Leaflet - Subsidy Scheme for Abolition of MPF Offsetting Arrangement   In addition, the Labour Department will hold a webinar to introduce the key features of the abolition of MPF offsetting arrangement and the SSA, as well as its application procedures.  Details of the Webinar are as follows:   Date: 28 August 2026 (Friday) Time: 3:30 p.m. to around 5:00 p.m. Language: Cantonese Format: Online via Zoom Fee: Free of charge   Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis with limited quotas. The enrolment deadline is 18 August 2026 (Tuesday). The enrolment form can be downloaded via the hyperlink below. Your members are most welcome to attend.   https://www.offsettingsubsidy.gov.hk/en/pdf/enrolment_form_aug26_e.pdf   We would like to solicit your support in disseminating the attached information and the key messages outlined above to your members.  Your assistance in this matter is greatly appreciated.   Best regards,   Employment Benefits Support Division Labour Department Email address: ebsd@labour.gov.hk 28 July 2026

敬啟者： 環境保護署將於2026年6月6日在新界東北堆填區擴建部分展開營運測試。在測試期間，我們計劃將每天原先運往新界東北堆填區的建築廢物分流到堆填區擴建部分處置。擴建部分在測試期間只會接收建築廢物，不會接收都市固體廢物。茲附上相關信函以供 貴會/公司參考。 Letter to trade_新界東北堆填區擴建部分營運測試_final 如有任何查詢，歡迎致電本署新界東北堆填區辦事處（電話：2674 6505）聯絡。 環境保護署謹啟

Publications on Work Arrangements in Times of Adverse Weather and “Extreme Conditions”   The Labour Department (LD) has updated publications on the captioned subject.  The revised “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions’” (CoP) sets out the relevant guidelines in a reader-friendly and concise manner, reiterating the three major principles for formulating work arrangements under adverse weather and “extreme conditions” (including formulating work arrangements in advance, giving prime consideration to employees’ safety, and complying with requirements of labour legislation), and incorporating corporate examples for reference.  Please refer to the website below for downloading the CoP and CoP At a Glance for reference of employees and employers:   CoP https://www.labour.gov.hk/tc/public/pdf/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf (Chinese version) https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf (English version)   CoP At a Glance https://www.labour.gov.hk/tc/public/wcp/Rainstorm_glance.pdf (Chinese version) https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm_glance.pdf (English version)  

2. If printed copies are required, please contact Miss Joey YU at 2121 8690, or visit the branch offices of Labour Relations Division of the Labour Department (Address: https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/tele/lr1.htm).

  Workplace Consultation Promotion Division Labour Department

Revised "Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms"   Dear Sir/ Madam,   The Labour Department (LD) launched the revised "Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms" (GNs) today to call on duty holders of workplaces to enhance safety measures in preventing accidents.  

2. In response to accidents involving mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) at various workplaces in recent years, the LD has revised and renamed the original “Guidance Notes on Safe Use of Power-operated Elevating Work Platforms”, incorporating common causes of the accidents and preventative measures.  Major revisions include:

 

• further specifying training requirements for operators, including both theoretical and practical training.  After the completion of the training, operators should duly pass appropriate assessments to become competent operators; and
• adding new operational requirements:
  • installation of effective secondary guarding devices to eliminate the risk of workers being trapped by overhead or adjacent structures or obstacles;
  • conducting regular non-destructive tests on critical load-bearing components to ensure load-bearing structures and supporting structures of MEWPs are in good condition; as well as
• formulating emergency rescue plans to respond to emergency situations so as to reduce injuries and fatalities.

 

3. A grace period is provided for the new requirements of operator training and installation of secondary guarding devices until 31 December 2026 (i.e. taking effect on 1 January 2027).  The industry must seize the time to make sufficient preparation before the grace period expires.

 

4. The GNs can be downloaded from the LD’s website (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/os/C/EWP.pdf) .  Enquiries on the GNs can be made at 2542 2172.

  Best regards,   (CHOI Yuen-ching) for Commissioner for Labour  

敬啟者：   現通知 貴機構及會員，本署轄下堆填區及廢物轉運站於二零二六年農曆新年期間的開放時間已作出更新，詳情請參閱附件。   EPD_to_trade_2026年農曆新年堆填區及廢物轉運站開放時間    如有任何查詢，可致電本署馮修朗先生  (電話：2872 1631)。   謹祝  商褀及新年進步。   環境保護署謹啟

各位商會領導及業界朋友：   立法會財經事務委員會將會討論政府提出的強積金「全自由行」立法建議。政府建議分兩階段完成立法工作，先於2025年內完成為新聘僱員的方案（首階段方案）提供法律依據，再於2026年內展開餘下的修例工作，落實現有僱員的方案（次階段方案）。   首階段方案（適用於新聘僱員）的運作模式與「僱員自選安排」大致相同，透過僱員自選強積金計劃的 個人帳戶 ，接收由僱主參加的強積金計劃的供款帳戶轉出的僱主強制性供款。   至於次階段方案（適用於現有僱員），透過僱員自選強積金計劃的 專項帳戶 ，接收由僱主參加的強積金計劃的供款帳戶轉出的僱主強制性供款。這是由於仍有需要區分及追蹤僱主強制性供款的轉移，以作可能的強積金「對沖」之用。   就轉移次數方面，政府建議沿用現時「僱員自選安排」的轉移機制，即一般情況下每個公曆年內一次。   詳情請參閱以下的政府討論文件： https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr2025/chinese/panels/fa/papers/fa20250602cb1-918-3-c.pdf   如有任何意見，歡迎與我們聯絡。謝謝。   邵家輝議員辦事處謹啟

Promotional materials on work arrangements in times of adverse weather and “extreme conditions” Employers should make prior work arrangements for staff in times of adverse weather and “extreme conditions”.  Please refer to the website and QR codes below for downloading the Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and “Extreme Conditions” and the Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and “Extreme Conditions” (at a Glance) produced by the Labour Department for reference by employees and employers.  

Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and “Extreme Conditions”	https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf	(English version)
Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and “Extreme Conditions” (at a Glance)	https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm_glance.pdf	(English version)

  If printed copies are required, please contact Miss Joey YU at 2121 8690, or visit at the branch offices of Labour Relations Division of the Labour Department (Address: https://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/tele/lr1.htm  ).   Workplace Consultation Promotion Division Labour Department

Please see the attachment. FEHD Anti-mosquito Campaign 2025 (Phase I)

EPD - Opening Hours and Contact Numbers of Landfills and Refuse Transfer Stations during Lunar New Year 2025 (25 Jan 2025 - 31 Jan 2025) EPD_to_trade_2025年農曆新年堆填區及廢物轉運站開放時間