Hong Kong civil servants to be given 12 hours of family care leave a year

Hong Kong’s civil servants will be entitled to up to 12 hours of family care leave a year from January, with the government promising flexible, streamlined approval procedures as part of a “people-orientated” approach.

The Civil Service Bureau set out details of the initiative, first announced in September’s policy address, in a paper submitted to the Legislative Council’s public service panel on Tuesday.

Staff may use the leave to accompany family members to medical appointments, care for sick relatives, attend their children’s school activities or deal with household emergencies.

“The government is committed to creating a family-friendly working environment to facilitate its employees to better cope with both work and family commitments,” the government said.

“Taking into consideration staff feedback that the ageing population has led to some employees having to accompany elderly family members for medical consultations more frequently, and that staff with young children also look forward to greater flexibility to balance work and childcare needs, the government responded proactively.”

Civil servants may apply for between one and four hours of family care leave at a time. Those who need more time must apply for holiday leave or other types of leave.

The bureau said staff would generally only need to give a reason for taking the leave, without having to provide supporting documents.

In unforeseen circumstances, staff may seek their supervisor’s approval first and submit a formal application afterwards.

However, supervisors may request documentary proof if they have reasonable grounds to suspect abuse of the scheme.

“The application and approval procedures for family care leave will provide sufficient flexibility and be streamlined as far as possible,” the bureau said.

“The Civil Service Bureau will consult the staff side on the detailed arrangements for family care leave with a view to implementing the initiative in 2027.”

It added that the government would continue to review existing family-friendly employment measures and seek suggestions for improvements.

The scheme is part of the government’s broader efforts to boost the city’s falling birth rate. Business leaders, however, have said the private sector has little incentive to adopt similar measures because of staffing and financial constraints, particularly among smaller firms.

The government is Hong Kong’s largest employer, with more than 170,000 civil servants. In 2025, it introduced childcare leave, giving each civil servant three days off a year for each child under the age of three.