Employer fined $60,000 for late payment of wages

     BioCell Technology Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay nine employees' wages, totalling about $233,000, within seven days after the expiry of the wage period as required by the Employment Ordinance (EO). The employer was fined $60,000 after pleading guilty at Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (October 4).

     "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," an LD spokesman 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.