'Request' Frontline Staff Get Jabs, HKMA Tells Banks

"); jQuery("#212 h3").html("

Related News Programmes

"); });

2021-06-01 HKT 18:46

Share this story

facebook

  • HKMA is telling banks that identified staff should get their first dose of the Covid vaccine by June 30.

    HKMA is telling banks that identified staff should get their first dose of the Covid vaccine by June 30.

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) is requiring all banks to "strongly encourage" their client-facing staff to get Covid-19 vaccines, saying they have to submit a list of employees who will be "expected" to get jabs by the end of the month.

In a circular issued on Tuesday, the regulator told banks that they have to compile the list of names in the next two weeks, with a breakdown by department or job function.

Though it didn't specifically say that vaccinations will be mandatory, the HKMA said staff involved in branch operations and critical support work who are on the lists should get the first dose before June 30.

Arrangements should be made for unvaccinated staff, or those unfit to get the jabs, to be tested for Covid-19 every fortnight – a policy that wasn't implemented even during the height of the outbreak in Hong Kong.

"It is necessary to strengthen the protection of bank staff and customers and to facilitate better business continuity planning, given that banks perform critical economic functions and are expected to maintain some level of operations even under extreme pandemic control measures," the authority said.

A high vaccination rate would also provide "the requisite foundation for Hong Kong to re-start international travel, which is crucial for us to maintain Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre," the circular added.

It also urged banks to introduce incentives to encourage staff to get inoculated, for example, by giving extra days off to workers who have been fully vaccinated.

RECENT NEWS

StartmeupHK Festival And Hong Kong Fintech Week 2025 Merge For 10th Anniversary Milestone

Invest Hong Kong (InvestHK) announced on 10 March 2025 that both of its flagship events, Hong Kong Fintech Week 2025 an... Read more

Ant AI-Powered Health Insurance Processes 7.25M Claims In 2024, 55%YoY Increase

In 2024, Ant Insurance, the online insurance brokerage platform of Ant Group, processed 7.25 million health claims, mar... Read more

Ping An Talent Uses AI For Job Matching, But Can Technology Make Recruitment Fairer?

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. has launched its 2025 Spring Campus Recruitment, offering over 2,000 p... Read more

HKEX Partners With CMU OmniClear To Boost Post-Trade Securities Infrastructure

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced on 4 March 2025 that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding ... Read more

PAObank Secures Insurance Agency Licence, Partners With Ping An And FWD Hong Kong

PAO Bank Limited (PAObank) has received its Insurance Agency Licence from the Insurance Authority and signed strategic ... Read more

IFAST Launches Self-Service Accounts For Hong Kong Family Offices

Fintech solutions provider iFAST HK launches self-service accounts in Hong Kong, catering to the growing demand for ind... Read more