Rankine Engineering Company 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 Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (November 26) and were fined $88,000 and $3,000 respectively, making a total fine of $91,000. The company was also ordered by the court to pay the employees concerned the total outstanding sum of about $481,000.
The company failed to pay 13 employees' wages totalling around $1,138,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods in accordance with the requirements of the EO. The director concerned was convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences committed by the company. The director had pleaded guilty earlier to most of the offences and was sentenced to a fine of $15,000 and 200 hours' community service order. The director pleaded guilty to the remaining offence and was fined $3,000 today.
"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," 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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