Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about
The Employees' Compensation Ordinance, Cap. 282
Doubtful Employees' Compensation Case
Q1.How should an employer handle a doubtful employees' compensation case?
A1.

If the employer is in doubt about the cause of an employee's injury or sick leave, he may conduct preliminary investigation, including interviewing the injured employee to obtain details of the accident, inquiring of the witnesses about the circumstances, assessing the possibility of the work environment leading to the accident, and requesting the attending registered medical practitioner, registered Chinese medicine practitioner (Note 1) or registered dentist of the injured employee to provide a medical report for reference. On the other hand, the employer can contact the insurer for appropriate follow-up action, such as arranging a medical examination to be conducted by a registered medical practitioner, registered Chinese medicine practitioner ,(Note 2) or registered dentist named by the employer for the injured employee. The employer may also seek professional legal advice. On encountering a suspected fraudulent case, an employer may consider forwarding the evidence collected and other relevant information to the Police for action. If the employer is still in doubt about the work injury case, he may pass his views and the relevant information to the Labour Department. The Labour Department will give its views to both parties on the likelihood of the case being a work injury from the medical point of view and according to the provisions of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance. Please take note that the Labour Department does not have the authority to make adjudication on any dispute of the case. If the employer and the employee could not reach any settlement with the assistance of the Labour Department, the case shall be determined by the Court.

  
(Note 1) The medical treatment and medical examination given by registered Chinese medicine practitioners only apply to the work injuries caused by accidents happening or prescribed occupational diseases contracted on or after 1 September 2008.
(Note 2) The medical examination to be conducted by a registered Chinese medicine practitioner named by the employer under Section 16 of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance only applies to the work injuries caused by accidents happening or prescribed occupational diseases contracted on or after 1 September 2008.
  
Q2.If an employer considers that he is not obliged to take up any statutory obligation to pay any compensation in relation to a work-related accident, is he still required to notify the Commissioner for Labour of the accident?
A2.According to Section 15 of the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, an employer is required to notify the Commissioner for Labour of any work-related accident in the manner set out in the Ordinance, irrespective of whether the accident gives rise to any liability to pay compensation. Thus, the employer has to report the accident to the Commissioner for Labour.