Hong Kong Regulations

APPRENTICESHIP REGULATIONS - REGULATION 8

Hours of work and periods of employment of apprentices

PART III

HOURS OF EMPLOYMENT AND OVERTIME

(1) Subject to this Part, every employer shall comply with the following
provisions in relation to registered apprentices under his employment-

   (a)  the total hours worked by a registered apprentice shall not exceed 8
        hours in any day or 48 hours in any week;

   (b)  the total period of employment of a registered apprentice on any day
        shall not exceed 9 hours and such period shall, subject to paragraph
        (2), not begin earlier than 7 a.m. or end later than 7 p.m.; (L.N. 155
        of 1980)

   (c)  no registered apprentice shall be required or permitted to work
        continuously for a period of more than 5 hours without being allowed
        an interval for a meal or rest after he has worked continuously for 5
        hours-

        (i)    in the case of an apprentice under 16 years of age, of not less
               than one hour; and

        (ii)   in any other case, of not less than half an hour;

   (d)  no registered apprentice shall be required or permitted to work during
        any part of an interval allowed to him for a meal or rest under
        sub-paragraph (c) ;

   (e)  no registered apprentice shall be employed on more than 6 days in any
        week;

   (f)  in any week in which a statutory holiday, within the meaning of the
        Employment Ordinance ( Cap 57), occurs, a registered apprentice shall
        be given a day in that week, other than the statutory holiday, as a
        rest  day. (L.N. 155 of 1980)

(1A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(a) and (b), in the case of a registered
apprentice of the age of 16 years or above, the Commissioner may grant to the
employer permission in writing that the apprentice may work such period as is
specified in the permission but so that the period is not more than 10 hours
in a day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and the permission may be
subject to such conditions, including conditions as to the number and
frequency of rest days and part rest days, as the Commissioner sees fit. (L.N.
155 of 1980)

(1B) Nothing in paragraph (1A) shall be taken so as to permit the employer to
extend the hours worked by a registered apprentice under paragraph (1)(a) to
more than 48 hours per week.

(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1)(b) and paragraph (1A), in the case of a
registered apprentice of the age of 18 years or above, the Commissioner may
grant to the employer permission in writing that the employment of the
apprentice may begin earlier than 7 a.m. or end later than 7 p.m. on any day.
(L.N. 155 of 1980)

(3) For the purposes of-

   (a)  paragraph (1)(c), work shall be deemed to be continuous unless
        interrupted by the intervals prescribed in that paragraph;

   (b)  paragraph (1)(e), a full day spent by an apprentice to attend a course
        of instruction at a technical institution in compliance with an
        attendance order shall be deemed to be employment for one full day.