A recently terminated 64-year-old Hongkonger complained that he received only seven days’ compensation after 20 years of service, as the Labour Department urges employees who suspect their rights have been violated to seek assistance promptly.

The affected person revealed on social media that he was employed as an outsourced worker, signing new contracts approximately every three years with a “new company.”

He questioned: “Even though it’s the same workplace and position, [I] keep starting over as a new hire. There should be no such situations, right?”

This raised concerns about potential legal loopholes being exploited by the company.

“By using two- to three-year contracts, the company simply transfers employees to a different company once the contract ends, effectively re-hiring the same group of people. This is essentially a way to avoid giving long service payment,” one netizen noted.

The 64-year-old man said he received notice of immediate termination on April 1, saying: “I’ve been working here for 20 years, and I’ve built a certain lifestyle.”

He expressed loss and asked: “Should I look for another job in the future? At my age, who would hire me?”

The man continued by describing his challenging family financial situation, stating: “My children are unemployed, and one is still in school. Only one person in the household has a job.”

The post sparked lively discussion, with many users urging him to seek help from the Labour Department to pursue claims against his employer.

In response to inquiries from Sing Tao Daily, a sister publication of The Standard, a spokesperson for the department stated that employees who suspect their employment rights have been violated should promptly seek assistance from the Labour Relations Division.

The spokesperson further stated that the authority will evaluate the specifics of the case to provide appropriate assistance for the person involved.

(Cheng Wong)

20 years, 7 days' pay: sacked outsourced worker raises loophole concerns