Boxing Day off for the first time in Hong Kong

The government had earlier announced that Boxing Day will be a statutory holiday in Hong Kong, starting in 2024. For Foreign Domestic Helpers, this holiday means that they have an additional day off without reduction on wages. 

The Legislative Council had earlier approved an increase in statutory holidays to 17 days by 2030. Beginning in 2022, one statutory holiday would be added to the calendar every two years, with Easter Monday the next in line.

Lawmaker Lam said that the new holidays will not result in more expenses for employers.

He said the reality is that granting an additional day off does not incur extra costs, as the additional workload would not warrant for another worker to be hired. Lam added that both ‘blue-collar’ and ‘white-collar’ workers should have access to equal rights as an employee.