Hong Kong: Contract of Employment

Catherine Leung, partner at Ius Laboris Hong Kong, engages in a compelling conversation with Charles Cameron, Vice President of the World Employment Confederation, exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping recruitment practices and the pressures modern businesses face. The discussion delves into the evolving workplace landscape and the adaptations required from both employers and employees in this transformative era.

A recent Hong Kong decision provides a useful warning for employers which run satellite offices with significant local autonomy. The case shows how quickly risk can build where one senior individual effectively controls day-to-day operations, payroll decisions, employment records and communications with head office, without any meaningful independent oversight.

The Hong Kong Court of First Instance has ruled that account managers can owe fiduciary duties to their employers when handling client enquiries and commercial information, even if they are not senior executives. This case examines when preparation for future employment crosses the line into active competition, misuse of confidential information, and concealment of business opportunities.

The recent conflicts in the Middle East and ongoing tensions affecting key maritime chokepoints have forced employment law considerations into sharp focus for maritime operators.

Can termination of a fixed-term employment contract during sick leave constitute dismissal? In Chung Hoi Yin Aggie v The General of the Salvation Army [2025] HKCFI 3680, the Court of First Instance ("CFI") clarifies on the termination of fixed-term employment contracts when employees are on sick leave.

Imagine this: An employee director, who owns 50% of a business, and his employee-son secretly set up a rival business.

In the recent case of Lo Wai Keung v Hannover Ruck SE, the Hong Kong Court of First Instance addressed a significant point of law regarding the termination...

Web-Platform workers such as Uber drivers and food delivery ‘riders' are part of a new and developing group in Hong Kong, which has greatly expanded during and following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Private Equity Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of Hong Kong, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries