Employment Services

Work Orientation and Placement Scheme

Persons with disabilities, just like their able-bodied counterparts, can perform well in jobs of various nature and actualize their working potential to contribute to the society at large only if they are given equal employment opportunities. They are not only loyal employees of the company, but also reliable working partners.

Objectives
The "Work Orientation and Placement Scheme" (WOPS in short) aims to facilitate open employment of persons with disabilities by encouraging employers to offer job vacancies and work orientation period to persons with disabilities so that the former will have better understanding of the working capacity of the latter.

The Scheme
Work Orientation Placement
The participating employer has to employ a job-seeker with disability referred by the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department and offer a three-month work orientation period to them. The employer will be free to decide whether to continue the employment upon completion of the 3-month work orientation period. During the work orientation period, the placement officer of the Selective Placement Division will actively follow up the performance of the employee with disabilities to facilitate the latter's smooth settlement into the job.

Financial Incentive
The participating employer will receive financial incentive equal to two-thirds of the actual salary paid to each employee with disabilities during the employment period, with a ceiling of HK$4,000 per month. If the employer decides to continue the employment after the 3-month work orientation period and provide appropriate training, support and assistance to the employee with disabilities, the payment period can be extended from three months to a maximum of six months depending on the arrangements made by the employer in each case. The Labour Department is vested with the final authority in approving application financial incentive.

On-the-Job Coaching by Mentor
The participating employer is encouraged to appoint an experienced staff as the Mentor of the employee with disabilities. During the employment period, the Mentor will coach the employee with disabilities on relevant job skills, as well as assist him/her to adapt to the new job environment and integrate with co-workers. A Cash Award of HK$500 will be given to the Mentor who has assisted the employee with disabilities to continue with employment after the first month of work orientation period.

Pre-employment Training
The placement officers of the Selective Placement Division will advise job seeker with disabilities to take part in a short-term pre-employment training programme under WOPS with a view to enhancing their chance of employment with the participating employers.  The training programme will provide job seekers with disabilities with latest job market information, job-search skills, interview techniques, work ethics, interpersonal / communication skills, etc.  On completion of the pre-employment training, the job seekers with disabilities will receive a training allowance of HK$60 per day of training.

Others
Employer
A Certificate of Appreciation, in addition to the financial incentive, will be awarded to every employer who continues to employ the employee with disabilities after the three-month work orientation period as recognition of the former's enlightened employment policy.

Employee
A Certificate of Commendation, being a token of encouragement, will be presented to every employee with disabilities who has successfully completed the three-month work orientation period.

Application & Enquiry:
If an employer wishes to recruit job-seekers with disabilities through participating in WOPS, please complete the attached application form and return it by facsimile to the respective regional office of the Selective Placement Division.  Our placement officers will provide the employer with professional job matching/referral services promptly.  Please contact us should there be further enquires.

Remarks: (1) In join the Scheme, the employee with disabilities must be referred by the Selective Placement Division of the Labour Department. (2) Employers with no previous experience in employing people with disabilities (or people with a particular type of disability) will be accorded priority in joining the Scheme. (3) The Labour Department is vested with the final authority in approving all applications.