Help from a friend, part-time work or probation still requires an assessment of employer duties beyond hourly pay.
What to have ready
Before you start
Employees covered by the Employment Ordinance have basic protection regardless of job title or part-time designation. From 18 January 2026, the continuous-contract test requires at least four weeks' continuous employment and the applicable 17-hours-per-week or 68-hours-over-four-weeks test. Employees' compensation insurance is a separate obligation covering employees including part-time and temporary workers; do not defer arranging it until probation ends. Determine status and entitlements from the real working arrangement.
What to do, step by step
- Assess whether the actual relationship is employment rather than relying on a self-employed label. Check permission to work and collect only necessary information. Explain duties, wage arrangements and notice clearly before commencement, using a written contract to document the agreed terms and provide a copy to the employee.
- Tell the insurer about duties, locations, earnings and overseas business trips and confirm commencement and renewal dates. For cross-border assignments, check work authorisation and insurance scope separately. A travel booking or insurance quotation does not by itself establish that the employee may lawfully perform work at the destination.
- Keep actual weekly hours and continuous-employment records, applying the 2026 test when checking rest days, statutory holidays and other leave conditions. Reassess when working patterns change. Avoid designing a rota around an outdated 18-hour assumption or deleting hours simply because the worker is described as casual.
- Set up payroll, MPF and employer tax-reporting workflows and give the employee clear pay details. At departure, calculate outstanding sums, notice arrangements and final contributions for the actual case. Record equipment handover and remove access appropriately while keeping necessary employment records available.
Costs, timing, and things to check
Contract wording cannot validly waive statutory entitlements. Review phrases such as no holidays or MPF included rather than allowing informal terms to override the law. Check the current official minimum-wage requirements for the relevant work and keep the underlying hours and wage calculation.
Insurance and MPF have different coverage and timing requirements; completing one does not complete the other. For a work accident, notifying an insurance intermediary alone may not fulfil reporting duties to the authority or insurer. Use the prescribed process and retain the report references.
A practical example
A studio hires a part-time assistant whose hours vary across four weeks. The owner records each week's hours and checks the revised 17/68 test instead of repeating the old 18-hour rule. Injury insurance is confirmed before the first day, and MPF deadlines are tracked separately. The contract states duties, wage period and notice arrangements, and the assistant receives a copy so both parties can verify the terms.
Establish status and protection before work begins, then manage actual hours under current rules.
Official information and enquiries
These are the reference and service entry points for this guide. Check current fees, eligibility, and schedules with the authority. The preparation date is not each source's official update date.