Company and its director fined $80,000 for contravening Employment Ordinance

     HK Bio-Rhythm R&D 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 Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (May 17) and were fined a total sum of $80,000.
      
     The company wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirements of the EO, failing to pay an employee wages within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of employment contract totalling about $400,000, and also failing to pay the awarded sum of about $602,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for her consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
      
     "The ruling helps 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, 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.