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Fu Yuen Delicious Food Company Limited and Publishers Associates Limited trading as a books wholesaler were today (July 27) fined at the Sha Tin and the Eastern Magistrates' Courts respectively for breaching labour-related ordinances. The prosecutions were launched by the Labour Department.
Fu Yuen Delicious Food Company Limited failed to pay periodical payments to an employee on normal pay days or within seven days thereafter as required by the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (ECO) and was fined $18,000.
Section 10 of the ordinance stipulates that during the period of the employee's temporary incapacity, the employer shall pay the injured employee periodical payments at the rate of four-fifths of the difference between the employee's monthly earnings at the time of the accident and his monthly earnings during the period of temporary incapacity.
The periodical payments are payable on the injured employee's normal pay days. An employer who, without reasonable excuse, fails to pay within seven days after the due day will have committed an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of $100,000.
Publishers Associates Limited failed to pay wages to three employees within seven days of the expiry of the wage period as required by the Employment Ordinance and was fined $18,000.
According to Section 23 of the 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.
Employees who are owed wages or periodical payments should immediately report to the Labour Department's complaint hotline on 2815 2200.
Ends/Friday, July 27, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:06
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