The EOC announced findings of a study on workplace discrimination against persons with family status in Hong Kong on 22 August 2018. Sampling 407 employers and 1,003 employees via telephone surveys, the study revealed a common lack of clear knowledge about what constitutes family status discrimination under the Family Status Discrimination Ordinance (FSDO). Still, 7.8% of the surveyed employees with family care responsibilities reported having experienced discrimination in the past two years, citing unfair treatment in the recruitment process and difficulties in applying for leave to tend to children and elderly family members.

In particular, women with a lower educational level and without recourse to alternative care systems are among the most vulnerable. The problem is exacerbated in labour intensive industries, such as import/export, wholesale and retail, and accommodation and food services. A separate explorative survey of employer preferences in the same study also found that when a woman responsible for the care of elderly parents applies for a senior position, her chance of landing the job is 24.5% lower than when she applies for an entry-level opening.

“There is obviously a gendered dimension in family status discrimination, with caregivers widely perceived by default as female,” said Professor Alfred CHAN Cheung-ming, Chairperson of the EOC. “The bottom line is, people should not be penalised at work for shouldering the responsibility of looking after their family members. We therefore suggest providing more training for employers to develop better understanding of the FSDO, exploring the possibility of adopting a paid family leave policy while being sensitive to the operational needs of SMEs, as well as allocating more resources for day-care centres to expand their services and make them more affordable. Only through a collaborative and sustained effort can we build a family-friendly workplace and culture in Hong Kong.”

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