What does Hong Kong's 468-rule mean in practice for Q4 2026?

The 468-rule replaced the old 418 continuous contract test on 18 January 2026. An employee now qualifies for statutory benefits such as annual leave, sick leave, maternity/paternity, severance, and long-service payments if they work at least 68 hours across any four consecutive weeks, even if some individual weeks fall below 17 hours. Employers should confirm their payroll and HR systems are tracking hours on a rolling four-week aggregate basis, not a weekly basis, and that any part-time workers newly qualifying under the rule are receiving their full statutory entitlements.