More cases of false self-employment might emerge following the implementation of the minimum wage law, the Labour Advisory Board warns.
At the first board meeting since the law went into force on May 1, employee representative Leung Chau-ting said the government should step up inspections to catch employers who forced workers to sign self-employment contracts.
'I am worried that more employers might force their workers to become falsely self-employed in a bid to evade their responsibilities relating to workers' rights and benefits,' he said after the meeting.
His comment came amid trade unions' complaints that some low-paid workers were forced to become self-employed so that employers would not have to pay them the minimum wage of HK$28 an hour.
The practice was also used by employers trying to evade annual and statutory holiday payments, the Mandatory Provident Fund, work insurance or compensation for injuries.
Employers and employee representatives agreed that the problem of false self-employment was not severe at the moment but was worthy of concern.
Another employee representative, Lee Tak-ming, urged the government to remain alert.