In response to media reports regarding a former employee of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), Mr. Josiah Chok, lodging a complaint against the EOC with the Labour Department, the EOC states clearly today (23 December 2014) that it will not specifically comment on the internal employment matters of an employee as it sees it as a violation of the employee’s privacy.

However, the EOC would like to offer two clarifications in relation to the said employment matter. Firstly, all relevant factors were taken into consideration in accordance with the EOC’s personnel management system and procedures in making the decision on the matter. Secondly, contrary to what is being alleged, the decision that Mr. Chok would leave the EOC was made in July 2014 and was totally unrelated to the incident of the church forum, which took place in August 2014. The EOC’s policy of giving gratuity to contract employees is their satisfactory completion of contract.

Following public concerns in August 2014 on a possible conflict of interest caused by Mr. Chok’s remarks made at a church forum about the EOC’s work on its Discrimination Law Review, the EOC has made it clear that it respects the freedom of belief, religion and speech of all its employees. EOC employees can participate in different kind of religious activities and maintain their own position. However, employees must seek approval in advance, should their views and opinions made in public contradict the established position of the EOC.

The EOC emphasizes that it reserves its right to take legal action against any remarks that are untrue or libelous to the EOC.

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Equal Opportunities Commission
23 December 2014