Company and its director fined $136,000 for late payment of wages

     Agility Motors Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to make timely payment of wages to employees in accordance with the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (March 19) and were each fined $68,000, making a total fine of $136,000.

     The company failed to pay six employees' wages totalling around $1,219,000 within seven days after the expiry of the respective wage periods as required by the EO. The director was convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offence.

     "The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO," 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.