Welfare Secretary Chris Sun on Tuesday urged companies not to try to wriggle out of complying with new legislation designed to ensure more workers receive paid rest days and holidays.

From Sunday, people working at least 68 hours over four weeks will be considered to be in continuous employment and will therefore qualify for the days off, a rule known as "468".

This is a change to the current "418" rule, which defines continuous employment as working at least 18 hours a week for four weeks in a row.

Sun said the government will take the new regulations seriously and will initiate prosecutions where necessary.

He cautioned that companies should not reduce the hours they offer staff and simply hire more part-time workers instead.

"In Hong Kong's labour market, both employers and employees can make their own choice. But the point is, employers have to follow regulation requirements. Employers are not allowed to go into a grey area as they will be considered to be violating the law," he said.

"If there are any disputes that arise from how to calculate work hours, the Labour Relations Division under the Labour Department will be able to help."

On a separate note, Sun said that around 1,600 caregivers living in public housing estates have been referred to support organisations since a database of such people was set up last July.

“If we did not have a high-risk database and no care teams to help us do home visits, these 1,600 households would have been hidden. But now that we have found them, we will be able to give them adequate support,” he said.

“We will seek to expand our coverage. For now, we put our focus on public housing estates, because it is the quickest way, but next we will involve those living in 'three-nil' buildings and housing units under the Housing Society.”