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A frozen food wholesaler, Fortress (Hong Kong) Limited, was fined $40,000 at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (August 25) for failing to pay periodical payments to an employee who was injured at work. The prosecution was taken out by the Labour Department.
On November 21, 2008, a company worker sustained left toe fracture at work. The employer failed to pay periodical payments to the employee on normal paydays or within seven days thereafter as required by the Employees' Compensation Ordinance (ECO).
Section 10(10) of ECO stipulates that during the period of 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 paydays. An employer or principal contractor who, without reasonable excuse, fails to pay within seven days after the due day commits an offence and is liable to a fine of $100,000.
Ends/Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:29
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