大家越来越关注工作场所中出现的问题和投诉。常见问题可能包括涉及骚扰、欺凌、歧视和特殊优待的投诉。当紧张加剧时，道歉通常有助于消弭冲突和改善关系。但是，很多人通常不愿意道歉，担心此举可能构成承认过失，而这一点可能在法律诉讼中被对方利用。
香港是亚太地区首个颁布与道歉相关法规的司法管辖区。《道歉条例》（第 631 章）（简称“条例”）于 2017 年 12 月 1 日生效，目的是促进和鼓励道歉，防止争端升级，尽量友好解决。根据该条例第 7 条，条例生效后任何人道歉均不构成明示或暗示地承认过失，也不得作为法律程序的证据进行采纳（有个别例外）。
An apology is defined in the Ordinance as an expression of regret, sympathy or benevolence, whether oral, written or by conduct made by a person or on behalf of a person. It includes an express or implied admission of fault or liability. The Ordinance protects apologies made in proceedings, including judicial, arbitral, administrative, disciplinary and regulatory proceedings, but excludes apologies made in criminal proceedings and proceedings conducted under the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance (Cap 86), Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance (Cap 390), Coroners Ordinance (Cap 504) and of the Legislative Council.
The Ordinance will therefore apply to an apology made in respect of claims and proceedings relating to employment disputes brought in the Labour Tribunal and/or High Court, complaints made to the Equal Opportunities Commission and claims relating to discrimination, harassment and/or victimisation filed in the District Court.
However, it is important to note that there are certain exceptions to the applicability of the Ordinance. Perhaps the most relevant is that a decision maker (for example, the court, tribunal or arbitrator) may, in an exceptional case, exercise a discretion to admit a statement of fact contained in an apology as evidence in the proceedings, where it is just and equitable to do so, having regard to the public interest or the interests of the administration of justice. It is not clear how the decision makers will interpret what constitutes an “exceptional case” and how it will exercise its discretion in determining to admit a statement contained in an apology as evidence in proceedings. Given this uncertainty, it is difficult to see how far a sincere apology would be helpful to parties.
Whilst it remains to be seen how the Ordinance may have an impact on proceedings, given the large number of labour disputes in Hong Kong, the hope is that the option to apologise without fear of admitting fault will assist in a more amicable resolution of disputes and parties would have less of a need to resort to legal proceedings.
若存在劳动法相关问题，欢迎随时联系尼克迪（ndealy@gallhk.com / +852 3405 7688）进行咨询。
联系人:
尼克迪 (Nick Dealy) , 合伙人
+852 3405 7656
ndealy@gallhk.com
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