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Hin Sum Manpower Company Limited and Po Hing (Hing Yip) Engineering Co. Limited were fined $109,000 and $77,500 respectively at the Sha Tin Magistrates' Courts today (October 6) for wage offences under the Employment Ordinance. The prosecutions were launched by the Labour Department.
Hin Sum Manpower Company Limited failed to pay wages to four employees within seven days of the expiry of the wage period. The amount of wages involved was about $95,000.
Po Hing (Hing Yip) Engineering Co. Limited failed to pay wages to two employees within seven days of the expiry of the wage period. The amount of wages involved was about $51,000.
According to Section 23 of the Employment Ordinance, wages due upon expiry of the last day of the wage period shall be paid as soon as practicable, but not later than seven days.
Any employer who fails to do so wilfully and without reasonable excuse is liable to a maximum fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.
The Labour Department urged employees who are owed wages to call its complaints hotline, 2815 2200 immediately.
Ends/Friday, October 6, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:32
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