Study looks into feasibility of sick notes from chiropractors
The government is studying the feasibility of recognising sick leave certificates issued by registered chiropractors, according to the secretary for labour and welfare Matthew Cheung Kin-chung. A cross-departmental working group, comprised of representatives from the labour department, food and health bureau, department of health and the civil service bureau, was set up in 2005 to study the issue, he said. A decision has yet to be made, but the group will consider the regulatory framework of chiropractors, the relevance of the professional training, codes of practices and the level of acceptance of the services of chiropractors in the community. The working group will also undertake a study mission to gain first-hand experience of the roles of chiropractors in labour affairs in other countries.
No room for MySpace at work says human resource survey
Almost one in four corporate respondents to a US survey said they blocked employee access to social-networking websites such as Facebook or MySpace. The survey of around 200 human resources professionals carried out by US-based consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, found that one in three respondents believed such sites reduced employee productivity, and 23 per cent of respondents blocked access to these sites entirely. The firm said most employers tended to look the other way. At the other end of the spectrum, 8 per cent said they actually encouraged employees to use social networking sites, and 10 per cent said they were invaluable marketing, networking and sales tools. Fifty-nine per cent said they did not have a formal policy on using the sites during work hours, and nearly half felt employees using the sites was not a problem as long as the work was completed.
