Company and its two responsible persons fined $60,000 for contravening Employment Ordinance

     Cititop Investment Limited and its two responsible persons, who were a director and a company secretary respectively, were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The case was heard earlier at Shatin Magistrates' Courts and the company and its two responsible persons were convicted today (September 30) and were fined a total of $60,000. The company and its two responsible persons were also ordered to pay employees an outstanding sum of about $91,000 jointly and severally.
 
     The company failed to pay wages to four employees in accordance with the EO within seven days after the termination of employment contracts, and the awarded sums totalling about $91,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT) award. The two responsible persons concerned were prosecuted and convicted for their consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences committed by the company.
 
     "The judgment will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors, managers and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees in accordance with the EO and the awarded sums according to the terms of the awards issued by 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.