Newsletter No. 53

CUHK NEWSLETTER Definition o f Official Dut y O How i s official duty defined ? • Th e Staf f Handbook (Term s o f Servic e A an d equivalen t staff, 1990 version) defines official duty as engaging in or carrying ou t academi c an d othe r dutie s (eg . a s hea d o r member o f a n academi c exchang e delegation ) outsid e Hong Kong , designate d b y a competent authorit y withi n the University a s such an d approve d b y AAPC . O Wouldn' t i t tak e a lon g tim e for a reques t fo r Overseas Coverage t o b e processed , i f AAP C approva l mus t b e obtained beforehand ? • Th e Universit y ha s decided , fro m Februar y 199 4 on , t o delegate th e authorit y o f determinin g whethe r a missio n or dut y abroa d i s a n officia l dut y t o th e mos t senio r officer responsibl e fo r th e academi c o r administrativ e unit concerned , ie , th e vice-chancellor , th e pro-vice - chancellors, an d the faculty deans. This new decision wil l certainly hel p t o expedit e application s fo r Overseas Coverage. O I f a n officia l tri p abroa d mus t b e mad e b y a n employe e within a shor t time , meanin g tha t ther e i s inadequat e time fo r hi m o r he r t o g o throug h th e usua l procedure , would i t b e possibl e fo r the Universit y t o arrang e fo r his or her Overseas Coverage nevertheless ? • Give n th e fac t tha t th e onu s o f approvin g officia l dutie s abroad ha s no w bee n delegated , th e situation s yo u mentioned wil l b e greatl y reduced . However , i n a genuinely urgen t case , i t i s stil l possibl e fo r th e staf f member concerne d t o arrang e fo r persona l insuranc e through th e University, wit h the understanding tha t if th e staff member' s applicatio n fo r Overseas Coverage i s no t approved, the n h e o r sh e mus t reimburs e th e Universit y for the insurance premium . Maximum Compensation for Deat h Overseas O Wha t ar e the rates payabl e unde r th e Overseas Coverage scheme? I n th e cas e o f a Universit y employe e wh o sustains injur y an d die s whil e o n officia l dut y abroad , how muc h ca n hi s or her beneficiary expect t o receive ? • Accordin g t o arrangement s endorse d b y th e AAP C in Februar y 1994 , th e designate d beneficiar y o f a n employee wh o die s whil e o n officia l dut y abroa d ma y receive compensatio n roughl y equivalen t t o 3 6 months ' pay fo r a non-clinica l lecture r a t to p poin t o f hi s salar y scale. I n Februar y 199 4 term s thi s amount s t o abou t HK$1 , 890 , 000. Thi s i s o n to p o f th e maximu m HK$ 1,260,000 tha t can be claimed unde r the Employees’ Compensation scheme . S o total compensatio n ma y b e a s high a s HK$3,150,000 . O How ma y a n employe e wh o i s o n officia l dut y abroa d extend hi s o r he r Overseas Coverage i f wor k require s him o r he r t o sta y oversea s longe r tha n originall y declared? • Th e staf f membe r ma y hav e th e insuranc e polic y extended by informin g th e Busines s Sectio n direct , o r request hi s o r he r hea d o f uni t t o notif y th e Busines s Section whil e applying fo r extension o f leave. In case th e staff member ha s no t notified the Business Section , then , upon retur n t o Hon g Kon g an d assumin g tha t h e o r sh e has ha d n o injury , th e staf f membe r mus t stil l repor t th e extension o f tou r abroa d t o th e Busines s Section , s o tha t the sectio n ma y retrospectivel y exten d th e insuranc e policy. Thi s i s t o establis h th e University' s goo d fait h i n paying fo r th e premiu m i n full , an d t o ste m an y possibility o f claim s bein g stalle d b y th e insuranc e companies. O If a n employe e plannin g t o hav e a holida y oversea s i s asked b y hi s o r he r hea d o f uni t t o conduc t som e official business abroad , ca n h e o r sh e see k Overseas Coverage? And, i f yes, how ? • Fo r a s long a s the business abora d i s an approve d official duty, the n th e part y concerne d ma y reques t th e Busines s Section t o make th e necessary insuranc e arrangements . I t goes withou t saying , however , tha t th e Universit y wil l pay onl y fo r those days when th e staff member concerne d is actuall y o n officia l dut y an d tha t th e res t o f th e premium mus t b e a t the expense o f th e staf f member . How Frequentl y Are Insuranc e Policie s Reviewed? O Unde r wha t circumstance s wil l th e Universit y revie w existing policie s an d measures regardin g staf f insurance ? When di d the last review tak e place? Did it have anythin g to d o wit h th e unfortunat e inciden t i n Septembe r 199 3 when a Universit y employe e die d whil e o n officia l business i n China ? • Th e Busines s Sectio n ha s spare d n o effort s in improvin g various insuranc e policie s applicabl e t o Universit y personnel. Such effort s hav e bee n ongoin g an d therefor e not necessaril y relate d t o an y particula r incident . A s a matter o f fact , th e sectio n conducte d a comprehensiv e review a s early a s June 1990 , an d th e major result o f tha t exercise wa s a n extensio n o f staf f insuranc e coverag e from Hon g Kon g t o th e world . Th e nex t comprehensiv e review bega n i n Jun e 1993 , wit h th e assistanc e o f professional personne l fro m Jardine Insurance . Tha t wa s NO.53APRIL 1994 11