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Nam Tai Security Company Limited was today (June 5) fined $41,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts for wage and holiday pay offences under the Employment Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.
The court heard that the employer failed to pay wages to an employee within seven days of the expiry of the wage period. The amount of wages involved was about $17,800. The employer had also issued payments in lieu of granting three statutory holidays of Mid-Autumn Festival, National Day and Chung Yeung Festival to the employee.
According to Section 23 of the Employment Ordinance, wages due upon expiry of the last day of the wage period should be paid as soon as practicable, but not later than seven days. Failure to do so could mean a maximum fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.
Section 40A(1) of the ordinance says no payment of holiday pay or other sum shall be made in lieu of the grant of statutory holiday. Any employer who contravenes this section is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000.
The Labour Department urged employees who were owed wages to call its complaint hotline, 2815 2200.
Ends/Thursday, June 5, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:07
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