An employer was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violating requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The employer pleaded guilty at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts today (November 28) and was sentenced to three weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
The employer wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirements of the EO, failing to pay seven employees their wages within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods totalling about $385,000, and also failing to pay two employees the awarded sum of about $92,000 within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT).
"The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers 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.
Follow this news feed: East Asia