Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on Saturday said hairdressers and salon workers are not eligible to apply for the one-off HK$10,000 unemployment relief subsidy for they were only jobless for at most 28 days.
For the first time, the government introduced the Temporary Unemployment Relief on Friday, providing the HK$10,000 subsidy to full-time and part-time staff and self-employed individuals who stayed idle or jobless for 30 days.
Applicants' monthly salary must be between HK$2,700 and HK$30,000.
Yet, speaking at a media session this morning, Lam said hairdressers and salon workers stayed idle or jobless for only 28 consecutive days since the mandatory closure of salons between February 10 and March 10. Therefore, they don't fulfill the requirement and cannot apply for the scheme.
Still, Lam underlined that hairdressers and salon staffers can apply for Employment Support Scheme.
Chao Chen-kuo, the Hong Kong Hair and Beauty Merchants Association founder, said hairdressers had zero income during the closure of salons, and their businesses have dropped at least 20 to 30 percent since the reopening.
He wanted the government to treat their industry equally and compensate their loss since customers now have haircuts less frequently.
The application for the HK$10,000 subsidy will open at 8am next Wednesday (Mar 23) until 11.59pm on April 12.
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