Company fined $73,500 for late payment of wages

     Zhonghua Financial Holdings Limited was 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 pleaded guilty at Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (April 12) and was fined a total of $73,500.

     The company failed to pay seven employees' wages totaling around $667,000 within seven days after the expiry of the respective wage periods as required by the EO.

     "The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay employees' wages 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.