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The following is issued on behalf of The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today (October 11) obtained an order for payment of outstanding Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) contributions at about $410,000 against an employer in the District Court. Meanwhile, the MPFA pursued seven claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $220,000 on behalf of 16 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
The District Court today issued a judgment against an employer, namely, Mak Wai Kuen and Yuen Chun trading as Wai Yip Engineering Company. The defendant was ordered to pay the MPFA the sum of $417,791.3, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable to 13 employees of the defendant.
Meanwhile, at the Tribunal's hearing today, the defendants, Hin Sum Manpower Company Limited and Archetype Interactive Limited, did not dispute the amounts claimed. The Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $49,600.34 and $28,225 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other five defendants, Boom Arms Cafe Limited trading as Boom Arms Cafe, Dragon Lake Holdings Limited trading as Typhoon Shelter Sea View Restaurant, D.G. Jones and Partners (Hong Kong) Limited, Pioneer Link Holdings Limited trading as Nadia's and Lee Zhou Ming formerly trading as Kam Hing Cafe (translation), did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $42,130.74, $39,466.89, $29,884.31, $27,720 and $5,073.76,being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The amounts both awarded at the District Court and the Tribunal will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The District Court further ordered the defendant to pay cost of $930 and the Tribunal ordered the respective defendants to pay $180, $110, $236, $246, $365, $130 and $150 as the costs in respect of the claims.
Hin Sum Manpower Company limited pleaded guilty earlier at Kwun Tong Magistracy to 30 counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and was fined $84,500.
Ends/Thursday, October 11, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:20
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