Carrie Lam: subsidies can only be spent on employees

The Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said today employers who apply for the Employment Support Scheme worth HK$80 million can only spend the subsidies on employees and not other expenses such as rent, adding that they cannot lay off staff during the six months they are receiving the subsidies.

Lam said employers have to select one month from January, February or March for calculation of salary subsidies and that the employee figures have to be from March.

She hopes the Legislative Council Finance Committee can approve the HK$137.5 billion funding proposal on Friday.