Hsin Chong Construction Company Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay employees' wages, payment in lieu of notice, annual leave pay and the awarded sum of the Labour Tribunal (LT) in accordance with the Employment Ordinance (EO), as well as the periodical payments under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (ECO). The company pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (November 28) and was fined $212,000 in total. The company was also ordered to pay the employees an outstanding sum of about $1,730,000.
​The company failed to pay wages to 29 employees, payment in lieu of notice to one employee and annual leave pay to two employees within seven days after the expiry of the respective wage period or the termination of employment in contravention of the EO. Also, the company failed to pay the awarded sum of the LT to an employee within 14 days from the date of award, and the periodical payments to three employees who had suffered injuries at work on the normal pay days or within seven days thereafter as required by the ECO.
"The judgment would disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay employees wages, payment in lieu of notice and annual leave pay within the time limit in accordance with the EO and the awarded sums according to the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board. Employers are also obliged to pay the periodical payments to injured employees in accordance with the ECO," a spokesman for the LD said.
"The LD will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.
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