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HR Manager:
Employment Ordinance Notice Period
Scenario
An employee with 3 years of service resigns on 15 Sep 2025. Assume a post-probation continuous contract where the contract is silent on notice, so the Employment Ordinance minimum applies (commonly 1 month, subject to probation rules). Notice runs on calendar days (including weekends and public holidays). Calculate the last day of employment.
Example Workflow
Result Example
Notice Given: 15 Sep 2025
Notice Period: 1 calendar month
Last Day of Employment: 15 Oct 2025 (Wednesday)
In this example, one month runs to the corresponding date in the next month. Weekends and public holidays are included, so the count does not pause.
Confirm exact end-date mechanics against the contract wording and internal HR practice.
Why This Matters
- •Ensures notice periods comply with Employment Ordinance minimums
- •Prevents disputes about whether weekends and public holidays count
- •Clarifies that employment can end on any day, including weekends
- •Provides a precise last day of employment for payroll and HR
- •Supports clear documentation in resignation or termination letters
Review the underlying rules in Employment Ordinance working day rules or read Employment notice periods in Hong Kong.
Litigation Associate:
High Court Short Filing Deadline
Scenario
You receive an order from the High Court requiring your client to file a reply within 5 days of service. The order was served at 4:30 PM on Tuesday, 6 January 2026. In this scenario, service is treated as deemed served on the next day for time counting. For short periods, Saturdays, Sundays, and General Holidays are excluded. Calculate the filing deadline and confirm the exact rule/order wording for your step.
Example Workflow
Result Example
Service Time: 4:30 PM on 6 Jan 2026
Deemed Service Date: 7 Jan 2026 (after-4pm rule in this example)
Timeline: 5 working days (from 8 Jan 2026)
Deadline: 14 Jan 2026
Because service occurred after 4:00 PM, it is deemed served the next day. The 5-day period begins on 8 Jan.
Saturday and Sunday are excluded from the 5-day count. If the final day lands on a non-court day, the deadline may roll to the next eligible day under the applicable rule.
Why This Matters
- •Automatically applies short-period rules
- •Supports after-hours service scenarios where deemed service shifts the counting start date
- •Excludes Saturdays, Sundays, and General Holidays for periods of 7 days or less
- •Rolls deadlines forward if the final day is a non-court day
Review the rule detail in court filing timelines or read court counting.
Conveyancing Solicitor:
ASP Execution Deadline (First-hand Sale)
Scenario
Your client enters into a Preliminary Agreement for Sale and Purchase (PASP) for a first-hand residential property on 28 January 2025. Under the Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance (Cap. 621), the purchaser must execute the formal Agreement for Sale and Purchase (ASP) within 5 working days. Lunar New Year falls on 29–31 January — all General Holidays. Calculate the last day your client can sign the ASP.
Example Workflow
Result Example
PASP Signed: 28 Jan 2025 (Tuesday)
Lunar New Year Holidays: 29–31 Jan (3 General Holidays excluded)
Working Days 1–5: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Feb
ASP Deadline: 7 February 2025 (Friday)
Without the holiday adjustment, a naive count would suggest 4 February — but the three LNY General Holidays push the deadline to 7 February.
Missing this deadline forfeits the preliminary deposit and terminates the PASP under Cap. 621.
Why This Matters
- •Ensures compliance with Cap. 621 (Residential Properties (First-hand Sales) Ordinance)
- •Automatically excludes weekends and all Hong Kong General Holidays
- •Helps identify holiday-cluster compression risk before signing appointments are booked
- •Prevents accidental forfeiture of the preliminary deposit through a missed deadline
- •Provides a defensible, auditable deadline for both parties' solicitors
Review the rule detail in Hong Kong conveyancing timelines or read first-hand property sale deadlines.
Compliance Officer:
Substantial Shareholder Disclosure (SFO Part XV)
Scenario
Your fund acquires additional shares in a Hong Kong-listed company on Thursday 2 April 2026, pushing its holding above the 5% threshold. Under Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571), notice is generally required within 3 business days of awareness and is given to both SEHK and the listed corporation concerned. The Easter/Ching Ming holiday cluster follows immediately after. Calculate the disclosure deadline.
Example Workflow
Result Example
Awareness Date: 2 Apr 2026 (Thursday)
Non-working days: 3 Apr (Good Friday), 4 Apr (day following Good Friday), 5 Apr (Sunday), 6 Apr (day following Ching Ming), 7 Apr (day following Easter Monday)
Business Days 1–3: 8, 9, 10 Apr
Disclosure Deadline: 10 April 2026 (Friday)
A naive 3-day count from Thursday would suggest Monday 7 April — but the Easter and Ching Ming cluster eliminates 5 consecutive calendar days, pushing the deadline to 10 April (8 calendar days later).
Late or missed Part XV disclosure can be a criminal offence, and fines and/or imprisonment may apply.
Why This Matters
- •Ensures compliance with the 3-business-day deadline under SFO Part XV
- •Automatically excludes weekends and all Hong Kong General Holidays
- •Accounts for holiday clusters (Lunar New Year, Easter, Ching Ming) that compress filing windows
- •Helps reduce late-filing risk in high-pressure compliance windows
- •Provides a clear, auditable deadline for compliance records
Learn more about Hong Kong General Holidays or browse working day articles.
Project Manager:
SFBC Interim Payment Certificate Response
Scenario
The architect issues an interim payment certificate on 29 September 2025 under a standard-form construction contract. The contractor must issue a payment response within the period stated in the contract (14 working days in this example). In this scenario, working days exclude Sundays and General Holidays. National Day (1 October) and Mid-Autumn Festival (7 October) both fall within this period. Calculate the response deadline.
Example Workflow
Result Example
Certificate Issued: 29 Sep 2025 (Monday)
General Holidays in Window: 1 Oct (National Day), 7 Oct (Mid-Autumn Festival)
Working Days 1–14: 30 Sep, 2-4 Oct, 6 Oct, 8-11 Oct, 13-17 Oct
Payment Response Deadline: 17 October 2025 (Friday)
A naive 14-day calendar count would suggest 13 October — but excluding Sundays, National Day, and the Mid-Autumn Festival pushes the deadline to 17 October.
Missing the payment response deadline can trigger adjudication or arbitration proceedings under the contract, and may affect the contractor's right to dispute the certified amount.
Why This Matters
- •Calculates deadlines using a contract-aligned working-day convention for HK construction workflows
- •Automatically excludes Sundays and all Hong Kong General Holidays
- •Accounts for mid-autumn, national day, and other autumn holiday clusters
- •Prevents missed payment deadlines that trigger dispute resolution procedures
- •Provides a defensible timeline for contractual records and audit trails
Review Hong Kong General Holidays or browse working day articles.