Company and its director fined $83,000 for contravening Employment Ordinance

     SKS Group Corporation Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay two employees' wages and defaulting on the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) as required by the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company was convicted at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (February 28) and was fined $45,000. The director had pleaded guilty earlier and was fined $38,000. The company and its director were fined a total of $83,000 and ordered to pay an outstanding sum of about $111,000 via the court to the employees.
 
     The company failed to pay wages to two employees totalling $102,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods or termination of employment as required by the EO. The company also failed to pay the employees the awarded sum of about $111,000 within 14 days after the date set by the terms of the LT award in accordance with the EO. The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences committed by the company.
 
     "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, 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.