Scholar proposes gov’t study feasibility of unpaid leave

A scholar from the University of Macau has proposed that the city further study the possibility of offering unpaid leave, particularly for small businesses in the SAR.
Ricardo Chi Sen Siu, Associate Professor from the Faculty of Business Administration of the University of Macau, voiced his opinions on unpaid leave.
In Siu’s opinion, while gaming operators are financially capable of providing employees with paid leave during the epidemic prevention period, the scenario is different for SMEs.
His comment came after the listener of a TDM radio program complained about some of Macau’s SMEs mandating that workers take unpaid leave. The listener believed the orders violated the city’s Labor Law.
According to Siu, the government should not force SMEs to arrange paid leave during difficult times, but instead urge and encourage these small businesses to continue paying workers while businesses are suspended.
The associate professor of business said that it is difficult for the government to interfere in every single dispute regarding leave, as the government is playing the role of coordinator between employees and employers.
In addition, Siu proposed that the local government should consider amending the city’s Labor Law with regard to matters of unpaid leave in particular. JZ