Company fined and its director sentenced to community service order for contravening Employment Ordinance
Happy Valley Football Club Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violation of the requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty earlier and were sentenced at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (December 5) to a fine of $147,000 and a community service order of 240 hours respectively.
The company failed to pay an employee, in accordance with the EO, wages totalling around $150,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods. The company also failed to pay to nine employees the awarded sums of about $1.2 million within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT). 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.