Employer fined for holiday pay offences and default on Labour Tribunal award

     Goldwell Engineering & Projects Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay on time statutory holiday pay, annual leave pay and defaulting on a sum awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT), in violation of the Employment Ordinance (EO). The employer pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (February 8) and was fined a total of $75,000. 

     The employer failed to pay five employees' statutory holiday pay and annual leave pay totalling about $32,000 as required by the EO. The employer also failed to pay awarded sums of about $23,000 to those five employees within 14 days after the specified payment date of the LT award. 

     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay statutory holiday pay and annual leave pay to employees within the time limit stipulated in the EO and awarded sums according to the terms of the awards of the LT or Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board. The LD will not tolerate these offences and will continue to make dedicated efforts in enforcing the EO and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," a spokesman for the LD said.