Funding for the Equal Opportunities Commission will drop by 13.8 per cent over the next three years, despite a 31 per cent surge in inquiries and complaints to the body last year.
The cuts have sparked fears about the EOC's ability to serve the community. Its workload is expected to increase further if a law against racial discrimination is passed this year.
Giving her year-end briefing, EOC chairwoman Patricia Chu Yeung Pak-yu said the commission could earn some money to offset the cuts by charging companies for training in how to comply with equal opportunities laws.
The EOC's budget this financial year is $77 million - down from $85 million two years ago. The further funding cut it faces applies to all other statutory bodies and is part of the government's effort to rein in spending and reduce the budget deficit.
Mrs Chu said: 'It is necessary to endure through difficult times with the government. We are working to streamline the EOC's operations and [handle] cases in a cost-effective manner. We have to do some sort of reorganisation and restructuring. But at this moment, there are no plans for sackings.'
Despite the drop in funding, the EOC's workload is rising. Last year it handled 13,626 inquiries, up 31 per cent on the previous year. The number of complaints it pursued also surged 31 per cent, to 1,032, of which 223 have been resolved through conciliation. Of the total complaints, 393 concerned employers sacking pregnant women or members of disadvantaged groups - a rise of 44 per cent.
