Company and its two responsible officers fined $64,200 for contravening Employment Ordinance

     Rayland International Cooperation Limited and its two responsible officers, a director and a manager, were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its two responsible officers pleaded guilty at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (October 24) and were fined a total sum of $64,200.
      
     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 totalling about $260,000, and also failing to pay the awarded sum of about $630,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). The two responsible officers concerned were prosecuted and convicted for their consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.
      
      "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors, managers 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 spokesperson added.