The Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) and the Home Affairs Department (HAD) met with Legislative Council Members the Honourable Lam Chun-sing and the Honourable Chau Siu-chung of the Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions (HKFLU) and related representatives today to discuss matters related to the Anti-epidemic Support Scheme for Environmental Hygiene and Security Staff in Property Management Sector (the Scheme) and to listen to views of the HKFLU on the implementation of the Scheme.
The PMSA Chief Executive Officer Mr Alan SIU said, “We thank the HKFLU for their continued support to property management (PM) practitioners and their concern on the implementation of the Scheme. The PMSA has actively been following up cases of frontline PM workers encountering difficulties when applying for subsidy which the HKFLU has referred to us through the HAD. The PMSA is dedicated to assisting in mediation so that more frontline PM workers who have been working industriously during the pandemic to safeguard public health can benefit. In fact, after mediation by the PMSA, many cases covering premises such as supermarkets, banks, chain stores, etc., or involving termination of employment of eligible workers who have provided services during the subsidised period, have successfully been resolved and those frontline workers concerned were able to successfully apply for subsidy.”
Since the Scheme began accepting applications on 28 February 2022, over 17,000 applications for over 180,000 frontline PM workers have already been received, exceeding by far the number of 160,000 benefitted in the first round of the Scheme implemented in 2020. The deadline for application has also been extended to 30 June.
Mr SIU added, “We are carrying out the vetting work in full force and over $750 million has been granted to more than 80,000 workers already despite three more weeks until the deadline for application. I wish to appeal again for PMCs, DMC Managers and OOs of eligible properties to seize the opportunity to submit application timely before 30 June.”
The Enhanced Arrangement for the Scheme was rolled out on 29 April and the deadline for application was extended further to 30 June. In addition to the quota of 100 headcounts for the subsidy for each building block in an eligible property when property management companies (PMCs)/deed of mutual covenant (DMC) managers/owners’ organisations (OOs) apply for their directly employed frontline PM workers, each building block in an eligible property will have another 100 headcounts for the subsidy if PMCs/DMC managers/OOs apply for the frontline PM workers employed by the cleansing/security service contractors/sub-contractors engaged by them for the concerned property, or for the frontline PM workers employed at premises in the property. Frontline PM workers of all job types can benefit and apply for the subsidy, whether full time, part time or substitute workers. In addition, PMCs/DMC Managers/OOs will receive an administrative fee for submitting the application, thereby encouraging PMCs/DMC Managers/OOs to apply for frontline PM workers.
This round of the Scheme aims to benefit frontline PM workers performing duties related to security or environmental hygiene in private residential, composite (commercial cum residential) buildings and industrial and commercial buildings during the subsidised period (February to June). If the cleansing or security staff provide service in other venues such as hospitals, schools, the airport, construction sites, working for public transport operators or the recycling industry etc., there is already separate arrangement under the Government’s Anti-epidemic Fund. For “three-nil” buildings, the frontline PM workers concerned may apply on individual basis.
In the first round of the Scheme implemented in 2020, the PMSA has disbursed over $1.1 billion in subsidies benefitting over 160,000 frontline PM workers.
For more details of the Scheme, please visit its thematic website (https://aspm.pmsa.org.hk), or call 3696 1156/3696 1166 or email to [email protected] for enquiries.
Ends/Tuesday, 7 June 2022
Issued at HKT 19:00
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