Making a Claim

All calculations and information are for general reference only and do not constitute legal advice. Actual entitlements are governed by the Employment Ordinance, Labour Department publications and your employment contract. If in doubt, consult the Labour Department (2717 1771) or a legal professional. Rules current as of 2026-08-13.
Claim deadlines
Severance payment: serve a written claim on the employer within 3 months of dismissal or lay-off; the employer must pay within 2 months of receiving it.
Long service payment: the employer must pay within 7 days of termination.
Wages and notice pay: all termination payments are due within 7 days of termination.
Where to claim
Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board: up to 10 claimants, each claiming no more than $15,000.
Labour Tribunal: claims above that limit, or with more than 10 claimants.
Start with the Labour Relations Division of the Labour Department (2717 1771) — its free conciliation service resolves many disputes.
Glossary
Severance / long service payment (遣散費／長期服務金) — statutory payments for redundancy or long service; they are mutually exclusive.
Payment in lieu of notice (代通知金) — money in place of the contractual notice period.
Average daily/monthly wage, "713" (平均日薪／平均月薪) — computed over the 12 months before the specified date, excluding less-than-full-pay periods.
Statutory holidays ≠ general holidays (法定假日 ≠ 公眾假期) — general (bank) holidays are more numerous; statutory holidays number 15 in 2026–27.
Continuous contract, "418" (連續性合約) — employed 4 weeks or more, working at least 18 hours each week.