China Staff articles from April 2009

China Staff archives from April 2009

Risky choices in expedited M&A: the time available for due diligence has been slashed significantly. HR faces tough decisions in identifying priorities while having to avoid mistakes.(mergers and acquisitions)(Cover story)
April 1, 2009... Due diligence in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) has never been more perilous. There is simply not enough time to ascertain all the facts before signing the deal anymore. This is largely a result of the global credit crisis, which has produced a...

Learning from the recent Cathay Pacific lawsuit: despite the definition of wages provided by the Employment Ordinance, identifying whether particular types of payments constitute wages is still far from straightforward, as shown by the latest Cathay Pacific case. Minter Ellison discusses the lessons learned.(Hong Kong Employment Watch)
April 1, 2009... Q: We have recently read in the news about the Labour Tribunal decision which involved claims made by Cathay Pacific flight attendants. Can you tell us more about the decision, particularly the implications of the decision in relation to our...

Work stops, but pay continues: Beijing's minimum salary standards dictate the extent to which companies can reduce employees' pay during a halt in production. Graham Brown and Wei Xin shed light on employers' rights and obligations in these circumstances.(Labour Law Forum)
April 1, 2009... Q: Our company is located in Beijing. Our sales have declined sharply due to the global economic crisis, and we are now facing serious difficulties with our production. Under these circumstances, can we simply reduce our employees' salaries? We...

Salary control measures across China.(Data Page)(Survey)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
April 1, 2009... About two-thirds of the participants have plans control compensation costs, and the most prevalent practice is to control OT salary. About 16% of participants have applied a salary freeze, and 3.7% of them have applied a salary cut. ...

January bonuses defy credit crunch.(Hong Kong News)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... A survey of 125 companies by the Hong Kong Institute of Human Resources Management found that 61 percent paid staff a bonus in January despite the financial crisis, reported The Standard. Of the 87 respondents, 44 gave a guaranteed bonus to...

Asylum seekers allowed to work.(Hong Kong News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Asylum seekers will not be prosecuted or working in Hong Kong before their claims for asylum are decided, according to a judicial review ruling in the Court of First Instance. The ruling was a victory for 29 Pakistani asylum seekers facing a...

Dispute rise blamed on unfair layoffs.(Hong Kong News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... The Federation of Trade Unions said that underhanded layoff methods and labour exploitation were behind a 42% increase in employment disputes last year amid the financial downturn, according to The Standard. Dismissal-related complaints,...

Employment bill postponement blamed on financial crisis.(Hong Kong News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Proposed changes to laws relating to unfair dismissal under the Employment Ordinance have to be postponed to the next legislative session, according to the South China Morning Post. The postponement was announced by the Labour and Welfare...

40pc of firms plan pay rises this year: poll.(Hong Kong News)(Survey)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
April 1, 2009... The Employers' Federation of Hong Kong surveyed 137 firms last month and found that more than 40% would give pay rises this year, by an average 2.7%. More than 40% of companies say they will give pay rises this year. The Federation frowns on...

Intern scheme is abuse, protesting students say.(Hong Kong News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... A bout 300 university students and activists marched to the Central Government Offices on March 15 to protest against the government-subsidised internship programme that aims to relieve unemployment pressure, reported the South China Morning...

Recruitment drive planned for graduates in Beijing.(China News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Beijing has planned a series of measures to help fresh graduates find jobs amid the global financial crisis, reported The People's Daily Online. Beijing Vice-Mayor Ding Xiangyang said primary and high schools, for example, will recruit 3,000...

Changes to Labour Contract Law ruled out.(China News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Although entrepreneurs blamed the Labour Contract Law for the widespread failures of export-oriented small and medium-sized firms in coastal regions, Xin Chunying, deputy director of the legislative affairs commission of the National People's...

Hep B discrimination persists in foreign firms.(China News)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Discrimination against hepatitis B carriers in recruitment remains widespread among foreign-funded enterprises in China, reported China Daily Eighty companies, or 84 percent of the firms polled, demand job applicants to undergo a checkup...

Get paid for hiring.(China News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Shanghai's labor and social security department was cited in China Daily as saying that it will offer a subsidy of up to 10,000 yuan a year to companies for hiring people categorised by the local government as those who have difficulty finding...

Top brass may get no pay hikes.(China News)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... Senior executives at nearly a quarter of Chinese companies would see no increase in their compensation packages this year, a survey by human resources consulting firm Mercer, has found. Around 34% of the surveyed companies said executive...

Legislation drafted to put ceiling on executive salaries.(China News)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... The salaries of executives in China's State-owned enterprises (SOEs) could soon be limited, reported China Daily A drafted regulation reportedly caps the salary of senior executives at no more than 10 to 12 times the average of regular SOE...

More relief for non-regular workers.(World at a Glance)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... JAPAN -- The Labor Policy Council has proposed relaxing conditions for non-regular workers to receive unemployment benefits. Under the current system, non-regular workers with expected employment of one year or longer are eligible for...

Malaysia: employers to inform ministry before retrenching workers.(World at a Glance)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... MALAYSIA -- Employers must inform the Labour Department 30 days in advance of their plans to retrench staff, effect pay cut or offer a voluntary separation scheme, Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam announced. Employers would...

AIG's top staff bow to bonus return pressure.(World at a Glance)(American International Group Inc.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... UNITED STATES -- Fifteen of the top 20 bonus recipients at AIG, the stricken insurance giant being kept alive by US federal aid, have agreed to return their bonuses in full. Andrew Cuomo, New York attorney-general, announced that the...

Singapore beats Hong Kong in survey of Asian expats.(World at a Glance)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... SINGAPORE -- The Lion City appears to have finally achieved its dream of being better than Hong Kong at something. Singapore was named the most desirable destinations for expatriates from Asia. Hong Kong would have been in contention for...

Expats leaving US for better life back home.(World at a Glance)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 1, 2009... UNITED STATES -- A report released this week, titled "America's Loss is the World's Gain", concludes that while generations of talented Chinese and Indian migrants have come to the US to seek better job opportunities and a better life, many are...