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Pakco Security (HK) Limited was today (December 2) fined $60,000 at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts for wage offences under the Employment Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.
The employer failed to pay wages to two employees within seven days of the expiry of the wage period. The employer also failed to grant statutory holidays for Labour Day and the Tuen Ng Festival to an employee.
According to Section 23 of the Employment Ordinance, wages due on expiry of the last day of the wage period must 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.
Under Section 39 of the Employment Ordinance, all employees, irrespective of their length of service, are entitled to 12 statutory holidays a year. If an employee is required to work on a statutory holiday, his employer must arrange an alternative holiday within 60 days before or after the statutory holiday. Any employer who fails to grant statutory holidays is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 for each offence.
Ends/Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Issued at HKT 18:04
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