HKT connects with the wages help line

Telecoms giant HKT has received HK$268 million in wage subsidies.

That is revealed with almost 90 percent of all applications for the Employment Support Scheme now processed.

So far, about HK$40.5 billion has been handed out to nearly 138,000 employers, covering about 1.75 million workers.

The sixth batch of beneficiaries - around 11,600 firms - received HK$4.7 billion for June to August. They are committed to maintaining headcounts totaling around 200,000.

Of firms in the latest batch, HKT Services, controlled by Richard Li Tzar-kai and which also operates telecom services CSL and Sun Mobile, received the biggest subsidy amount - HK$268 million to cover 11,465 employees.

And parent company PCCW Services received HK$81.7 million for 3,324 employees.

The Hong Kong Economic Journal Co, also owned by Li, collected HK$7.7 million for 291 workers.

Other companies receiving subsidies include Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co under Swire.

It picked up HK$165 million for 6,053 employees.

The private Hong Kong Baptist Hospital received HK$64 million for 2,357 workers while Hong Kong Adventist Hospital - Tsuen Wan collected HK$27 million for 1,044 employees.

Developer CK Asset Holdings got HK$22.2 million for 829 employees and Hutchison Property Group HK$12.5 million for 459.

Henderson Development Agency, Henderson Leasing Agency, Henderson Property Agency and Henderson Real Estate Agency together received HK$41.9 million for 1,537 employees. The Open University of Hong Kong got HK$33.9 million for 2,087 staff and the HKU School of Professional and Continuing Education HK$32 million for 2,612.

Under the scheme, business owners can receive half of their workers' wages for six months, with the monthly subsidy for each capped at HK$9,000.

From June 22 up to Tuesday, the scheme's secretariat received 229 reports of employers abusing or violating conditions of the scheme.

It referred 26 reports or complaints to the labor department and one to the customs and excise department.