'Scrap Salary Cap For Jobless Subsidy'

Unionists on Monday called on the government to allow people who used to earn more than HK$30,000 per month to apply for its jobless subsidy.

To be eligible for the one-off HK$10,000 subsidy, one must have worked for at least a month from October to December last year, earning between HK$2,700 and HK$30,000 per month.

Speaking at a virtual press conference, some affiliated groups of the Clerical and Professional Employees General Union said their members worked exceptionally hard when the pandemic situation was relatively stable last year, in order to make up for the lost income during previous waves of outbreaks.

Lee Yuet-man, the chairman of the Recreation and Sports Professionals General Union, said some coaches might have earned more than HK$30,000 during the specified period of time, but that didn’t mean they were well off.

“I know of coaches who were living on their credit cards… when they had the chance to earn money and pay off their debts, of course they would work hard,” he said.

Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Kwok Wai-keung also called on officials to scrap the salary cap and extend the application period for the Temporary Unemployment Relief Scheme – which closes on Tuesday – to benefit more people.

The government said as of April 6, 360,000 people have signed up for the unemployment subsidy.