Employer fined $50,000 for contravening Employment Ordinance

     An employer was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay an employee wages and the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The employer pleaded guilty earlier at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts and was fined a sum of $50,000 today (January 4).  
      
     The employer failed to pay an employee wages totalling $35,000 as required by the EO, and the awarded sum of about $36,000 within 14 days after the date set by the LT.
      
     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay wages to employees within the time limit stipulated in the EO and the awarded sums as ordered by the LT or 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.