The Chief Executive Officer of The Property Management Services Authority (PMSA) Mr. Alan SIU met with Legislative Council Member the Honourable Leung Tsz-wing of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) and related industry representatives today on the implementation of the Anti-epidemic Support Scheme for Environmental Hygiene and Security Staff in Property Management Sector (the Scheme). Mr SIU said, “Since the Scheme has begun accepting applications with effect from 28 February 2022, over 17,000 applications for more than 180,000 frontline property management (PM) workers have already been received.”
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.
Mr SIU emphasised, “There were reports citing that only several tens of thousands of frontline workers had been benefitted but this is entirely misunderstanding. Applications received by us already cover more than 180,000 workers. We are carrying out the vetting work in full force and over $700 million has been granted to nearly 75,000 workers already. Upon completion of all vetting work later, we believe that substantially over 100,000 workers will ultimately be benefitted. In the first round of the Scheme implemented in 2020, over 160,000 frontline PM workers were granted subsidies.”
Mr SIU added, “We understand that some frontline PM workers may encounter difficulties when applying for subsidy. The PMSA may assist 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 banks, chain stores, etc., or involving a change in PMC during the subsidised period, have successfully been resolved and those frontline workers concerned were able to successfully apply for subsidy.” Mr SIU wishes to appeal again for PMCs, DMC Managers and OOs of eligible properties to seize the opportunity to submit application timely before the deadline of 30 June.
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. 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.
The PMSA has referred HKFTU’s views on the policy in respect of the implementation of the Scheme to the Home Affairs Department for consideration.
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 aspm@pmsa.org.hk for enquiries.
Ends/Thursday, 2 June 2022
Issued at HKT 19:00
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