Twelve disabled employees and 10employers were commended Friday for their exemplary performance at work and employment of disabled people respectively at the presentation ceremony of the Outstanding Disabled Employees Award and Enlightened Employers Award organized by the Labor Department of Hong Kong government.

Presenting the awards to the awardees, the Secretary for Economic Development and Labor of Hong Kong government, Stephen IpShu-kwan, said the winning employees have one thing in common - they have all overcome their physical handicaps through perseverance and diligence.

"They work industriously and do not yield to difficulties, gaining recognition and appreciation from their employers," he said.

"The winning employers equally deserve our recognition. They have adopted an open mind in recruitment and provided disabled people with employment opportunities so that they could find suitable jobs with their own strengths and on an equal opportunity basis."

These employer awardees have given support and encouragement to their disabled staff and adopted measures to help them adapt to the working environment.

The measures include facilitating wheelchair-bound staff, learning sign language, and re-arranging work procedures and schedules to facilitate disabled staff.

The employees are Chan Hung-fong (telesales executive), Chan Mee-mai (school worker), Chan Sui-ha (workman), Chan Wai-keung (food counter), Choi See-ming (clerical assistant), Ho Kwok-keung (senior management services officer), Lee Wai-sum (marketing manager), Leung Kau (telephone operator), Leung Shuk-yi (account clerk), Li Lok-sing (lift operator), So Suk-yin (project assistant)and Tsang Wai-yu (warehouse worker).

The employers are Artland Nursery, Axalto Technologies Asia, Cafe de Coral, Capable Minority, Community Sports, Diamond Design, Happy Canteen, Quality Fine Foods, Yee Tai Cleaning Company and the Social Welfare Department.

Permanent Secretary for Economic Development and Labor Matthew Cheung said the success of the Labor Department's Selective Placement Division in promoting and assisting the disabled is encouraging.

"Since its formation, the section has helped more than 32,000 people with disability find jobs. In October, it successfully placed jobs for 1,972," he said.

Cheung said the department will continue to offer the Self Help Integrated Placement Service and the Trial Placement cum Mentor Scheme for People with Disability. The former helps the disabled obtain job market information and improve their job-seeking techniques and the latter encourages employers to provide trial placement for the disabled.

Source: Xinhua