The Equal Opportunities Commission's Code of Practice on Employment under the Race Discrimination Ordinance (the Code) was published in the government gazette today (8 May 2009).

 

The Code gives practical guidance on how to prevent discrimination and harassment on the ground of race and promote racial equality and harmony in the employment field.

 

Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), Mr. Raymond TANG said, “This Code is intended to encourage employers, employees and other concerned parties to promote racial equality and harmony in the workplace by adopting good practices, and to help them to understand their respective rights and responsibilities under the Race Discrimination Ordinance (RDO) so that they will respect, and refrain from infringing, the rights of other people. The Code also helps employees and workers to know what to do if they encounter discrimination and harassment on the ground of race.”

 

“The Code is issued by the EOC. A 14-week long public consultation on the Code has been conducted from 13 October 2008 to 19 January 2009. The EOC has revised the Code after careful consideration of the views and comments collected from the consultation process. The EOC will issue a report on the consultation process in due course,” Mr. TANG continued.

 

In addition, the Race Discrimination Ordinance (Formal Investigations) Rules and the Racial Discrimination Ordinance (Investigation and Conciliation) Rules were also gazetted today (8 May 2009). Both sets of rules were made under the RDO by the EOC and are materially the same as those made under other existing anti-discrimination ordinances. The Race Discrimination Ordinance (Formal Investigations) Rules set out the procedures for conducting a formal investigation by the EOC, while the Race Discrimination Ordinance (Investigation and Conciliation) Rules prescribe the procedures for lodging a complaint and the EOC’s investigation and conciliation procedures.

 

“The Code will be tabled in the Legislative Council for negative vetting on 13 May 2009. Subject to approval by negative vetting, it is expected that the Code will become effective at the same time when the RDO is brought into full effect,” Mr. TANG said.

 

The RDO, enacted in 2008, is expected to become fully effective middle of this year. Its main objectives are to make racial discrimination, harassment and vilification unlawful; and entrust the EOC with the functions of eliminating discrimination, harassment and vilification, as well as promoting racial equality and harmony.

 

For media enquiries, please contact Ms. Mariana LAW at 2106-2226.

 

 

Equal Opportunities Commission

8 May 2009