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An employer was fined $20,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (August 25), after being convicted of two offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance.
The defendant, Asson Computing Education Center Limited was convicted after trial of failing to enrol two employees in MPF schemes. The defendant was fined a total of $20,000.
Meanwhile, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today pursued five claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $130,000 on behalf of 13 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
At today's hearing, three defendants - Wong Ling trading as Sam Wo Petroleum Hong, Hin Sum Manpower Company Limited and Cheung Hak Ping trading as Luen Hing Cleaning Service Co - did not dispute the amounts claimed. The Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $30,429.00, $16,568.09 and $14,075.60 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other two defendants, Seekers Limited trading as Ching Yeung Lau Seafood Chinese Restaurant and Sunrise Interior Design & Decoration Limited, did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $42,773.72 and $27,650.19 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The amounts awarded will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The court further awarded payments of $320, $80, $90, $140 and $90 as costs in respect of the claims.
Hin Sum Manpower Company Limited pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistracy earlier to nine counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and was fined $26,000.
Ends/Thursday, August 25, 2005
Issued at HKT 19:03
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