Company and its director fined $58,000 for contravening Employment Ordinance

     T-Art Design & Decoration Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty at Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (July 28) and were each fined $29,000, making a total fine of $58,000. The company and its director were also ordered to pay employees an outstanding sum of about $392,000.
 
     The company failed to pay two employees, in accordance with the requirement of the EO, wages and payment in lieu of notice totalling about $206,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of their employment contracts, as well as the awarded sum totalling about $392,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The director concerned was convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
 
     "The judgment will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within 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.