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Asia Intelligence (HK) Limited was fined $15,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (December 7) for wage and holiday pay offences under the Employment Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.
The company failed to pay wages to an employee within seven days after the expiry of the wage period as required by the Employment Ordinance.
The company also failed to pay holiday pay for three statutory holidays, the Ching Ming Festival, Labour Day and Tuen Ng Festival, to the same employee in accordance with the Employment Ordinance.
According to Section 23 of the Employment 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 thereafter. 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.
According to Section 40 of the Employment Ordinance, an employee who has been employed by his employer under a continuous contract for a period of three months immediately preceding a statutory holiday is entitled to the holiday pay. Holiday pay should be paid to the employee not later than the day on which he is next paid his wages after that statutory holiday. Any employer who fails to comply with the above statutory requirement is liable to a maximum fine of $50,000 for each offence.
Employees who are owed wages or holiday pay should immediately report to the Labour Department's complaint hotline on 2815 2200.
Ends/Monday, December 7, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:28
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