【立法會問與答】政府對其僱員實施家庭友善政策的情況 (family-friendly policies)

立法會七題：政府對其僱員實施家庭友善政策的情況
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　　以下為今日（十二月十七日）在立法會會議上何俊仁議員的提問及公務員事務局局長鄧國威的書面答覆：

問題：

　　有關各決策局／政府部門對其僱員實施家庭友善政策的情況，政府可否告知本會：

（一）現時各決策局／政府部門對其僱員超時工作所訂安排和補償方式為何，以及有關僱員超時工作的情況（按政策局／部門逐一列出）；

（二）現時哪些決策局／政府部門已實施彈性工作時間安排，以及該安排是否對公務員及非公務員合約顧員同樣適用；

（三）政府如何在各決策局／政府部門推動實施家庭友善政策（包括彈性工作時間安排、對超時工作的僱員提供合理補償）；及

（四）政府會否在決策局／政府部門全面實施家庭友善政策，以起帶頭作用；如否，原因為何？

答覆：

主席：

　　現就各決策局／政府部門（下簡稱部門）對其僱員實施家庭友善政策情況的提問，答覆如下：

（一）政府各部門在管理公務員逾時工作方面，受相關的《公務員事務規例》（規例）、公務員事務局通告或通函規管。部門首長有責任釐定所需的人手，以便有效率和妥善地提供服務。逾時工作只應在無可避免的情況下進行。部門首長有責任確保在不影響運作需要的原則下，把逾時工作減至最少，並保證逾時工作受到嚴格管制及適當監察。根據規例，公務員逾時工作通常應以補假作償。部門首長可在不影響公務的情況下批准員工放取補假。假如無法或不大可能安排員工在逾時工作後一個月內或一段合理時間內放取補假，則可向合資格的員工發放逾時工作津貼。逾時工作的管理屬各部門的內部運作事宜，本局並沒有各部門公務員逾時工作的資料。

　　就非公務員合約僱員來說，各部門首長可根據運作需要安排其屬下非公務員合約僱員執行逾時工作。由於有關人員的薪酬屬「全包式」，他們除基本薪金外，不享有任何津貼。故此，他們的逾時工作會以補假作償。鑑於聘用非公務員合約僱員的細節，均由部門按情況自行決定，同時逾時工作的管理屬個別部門的內部運作事宜，本局並沒有各部門非公務員合約僱員逾時工作的資料。

（二）公務員是按其所屬職系的規定時數工作。根據規例，部門首長可視乎部門的需要，在符合規例列明的條件下，自行安排公務員的實際工作時間。至於非公務員合約僱員的工作時間，是由聘用他們的部門根據運作需要而決定的。本局並沒有各部門員工實際上班時間的資料。

（三）及（四）為使公務員可兼顧工作和家庭的需要，當局一向致力提供家庭友善的工作環境。政府在二○○六年開始實施五天工作周，目的是在維持公共服務的整體水平及效率以及不增加納稅人負擔的情況下，提高公務員的家庭生活質素。本局每兩年統計各部門推行五天工作周的情況。對上一次的統計結果顯示，截至二○一二年九月三十日，約有106 800名（註）公務員（佔當時整體公務員人數約70.5％）按五天工作周模式工作。本局已向各部門發出指引，訂明在可行及適當的情況下，應將五天工作周的工作模式推展至非公務員合約僱員。根據上述提及的統計，截至二○一二年九月三十日，約有9 100名全職非公務員合約僱員（佔當時全職非公務員合約僱員人數約69％）按五天工作周模式工作，百分比與公務員相若。目前，仍有部分公務員未能按上述的五天工作周模式工作，當局會繼續積極鼓勵各部門在恪守四項基本原則（即不涉及額外人手資源，不減少員工的規定工作時數，不削減緊急服務，以及在星期六／日維持一些必需的櫃台服務）及在諮詢員工後，研究可行方案，讓更多員工按五天工作周模式上班。當局亦會繼續鼓勵各部門在可行及適當的情況下，安排屬員輪任五天工作的崗位。

　　此外，由二○一二年四月一日開始，當局向合資格的政府僱員（包括公務員及非公務員合約僱員）提供五個工作天的全薪侍產假。自措施推行起至二○一四年九月三十日期間，共有7 036名合資格的政府僱員放取侍產假。上述的全薪侍產假安排，現時已適用於所有合資格的政府僱員（包括公務員及非公務員合約僱員）。

　　多謝主席。

註︰數字不包括任職官立學校、司法機構、廉政公署、醫院管理局、職業訓練局，以及香港金融管理局等機構的公務員。

完

２０１４年１２月１７日（星期三）
香港時間１２時１５分

LCQ7: Implementation of family-friendly policies by the Government for its employees
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     Following is a question by the Hon Albert Ho and a written reply by the Secretary for the Civil Service, Mr Paul Tang, in the Legislative Council today (December 17):

Question:

     Regarding the implementation of family-friendly policies by various policy bureaux/government departments (B/Ds) for their employees, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) of the overtime work arrangements and compensation methods currently adopted by various B/Ds for their employees, as well as the situations of their employees performing overtime work (with a breakdown by B/D);

(b) which B/Ds have currently implemented the arrangements for flexible working hours, and whether such arrangements are applicable to both civil servants and non-civil service contract staff;

(c) how the Government promotes the implementation of family-friendly policies (including the arrangements for flexible working hours and the provision of reasonable compensations to employees who have performed overtime work) among various B/Ds; and

(d) whether the Government will comprehensively implement family-friendly policies in various B/Ds so as to take the lead in this respect; if it will not, of the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

     With regard to the enquiry on the implementation of family-friendly policies by government bureaux and departments (hereafter referred to as departments), my reply is as follows:

(a) The administration of overtime work undertaken by civil servants in government departments is governed by the relevant Civil Service Regulations (CSR), Civil Service Bureau circulars or circular memoranda. Heads of Department (HoDs) have a responsibility to determine the staff complement required to deliver services efficiently and effectively. Overtime work may be undertaken only when it is unavoidable. It is an HoD's duty to ensure that overtime work is kept to the absolute minimum compatible with operational requirements, and that it is strictly controlled and properly supervised. According to the CSR, time off is the normal recompense for overtime work undertaken by civil servants. HoDs may grant time off to staff subject to exigencies of service. Where it is, or is likely to be, impracticable to arrange time off within one month or within a reasonable period of time from the date when overtime work is performed, overtime allowance may be paid to eligible staff. Since the administration of overtime work falls within the internal operations of individual departments, this Bureau does not have the information on overtime work undertaken by civil servants in individual departments.

     Regarding the Non-Civil Service Contract (NCSC) staff, HoDs may arrange their NCSC staff to perform overtime work having regard to operational needs. Since the remuneration offered to NCSC staff is an "all-inclusive" pay package, NCSC staff are not entitled to any allowance apart from the basic salary. Therefore, overtime work done by NCSC staff should be compensated by time off. Given that departments have the discretion to determine the details of the employment of NCSC staff having regard to their own circumstances, and that the administration of overtime work belongs to the internal operations of individual departments, this Bureau does not have the information on overtime work undertaken by NCSC staff in individual departments.

(b) Civil servants work in accordance with the conditioned hours of work of their grades. According to the CSR, HoDs may personally vary the actual hours of attendance of their staff to meet departmental requirements, subject to the conditions stipulated under the CSR being met. Concerning NCSC staff, their working hours are determined by the departments employing them in accordance with operational needs. This Bureau does not have the information on the actual hours of work of staff in individual departments.  

(c) and (d) The Government strives to provide a family-friendly working environment to enable civil servants to cope with both work and family commitments. The Government has implemented the five-day week initiative since 2006 with the objective of improving the quality of civil servants' family life without affecting the overall level and efficiency of public services or incurring additional costs to the taxpayer. This Bureau conducts biennial survey on the implementation of five-day week in departments. As revealed by the results of the last survey, around 106 800 (note) civil servants (around 70.5 per cent of the then prevailing civil service strength) were working on a five-day week work pattern as at September 30, 2012. This Bureau has issued guidelines to departments, stating that departments should extend the five-day week initiative to NCSC staff wherever practicable and appropriate. According to the above-mentioned survey, as at September 30, 2012, about 9 100 full-time NCSC staff (around 69 per cent of the total number of full-time NCSC staff at that time) were working on a five-day week work pattern. The percentage is comparable to that of civil servants. At present, some civil servants are not yet able to work on a five-day week work pattern. The Government will continue to actively encourage departments to explore possible ways to migrate more staff to five-day week, subject to the four basic principles (i.e. no additional staffing resources; no reduction in the conditioned hours of work of individual staff; no reduction in emergency services; and continued provision of some essential counter services on Saturdays/Sundays) and after staff consultation. The Government will also continue to encourage departments to arrange staff to work in five-day week posts by rotation where practicable and appropriate.

     Besides, the provision of five working days of full-pay paternity leave to eligible government employees (including civil servants and NCSC staff) has been implemented since April 1, 2012. Since the implementation of the measure up to September 30, 2014, a total of 7 036 eligible government employees have taken paternity leave. Currently, the above-mentioned full-pay paternity leave arrangements are applicable to all eligible government employees (including civil servants and NCSC staff).

     Thank you, President.

Note: The figures did not include civil servants working in government schools, the Judiciary, the Independent Commission Against Corruption, the Hospital Authority, the Vocational Training Council and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority, etc.

Ends/Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 12:18

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