New bill seeks to lower contract eligibility threshold

It will reduce the weekly working hours requirement from 18 to 17 hours.

The Employment (Amendment) Bill 2025, designed to revise the working hours threshold for continuous contract eligibility under the Employment Ordinance, was published today in the Government Gazette.

Under the proposed changes, the weekly working hours threshold for continuous contract eligibility will be reduced from 18 hours to 17 hours. Additionally, a week with fewer than 17 working hours will still count towards the continuous contract, provided the total working hours of that week, combined with the three preceding weeks, add up to 68 hours.

The Labour Department emphasized that the current eligibility criteria for employees to qualify for various statutory benefits under the ordinance will remain unchanged.

Subject to the bill's approval, the amendment will come into effect on the first Sunday after a six-month period following its gazettal. During this transitional phase, the department will launch an extensive publicity campaign to inform both employers and employees about the key features of the amendments, ensuring they are well-prepared.

The bill will be presented to the Legislative Council for its first and second readings on 16 April.