Red Health Products Company Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (April 25) and were fined a total sum of $78,000.
The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirements of the EO, failing to pay two employees' wages and payment in lieu of notice within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of employment, as well as end-of-year payment and annual leave pay within the statutory time limit, totalling about $220,000. The company also failed to pay the awarded sums of about $241,000 in total to the two employees within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above wage and default award offences.
"The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages and termination payments to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO, as well as the sums awarded by the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," 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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