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The Labour Department has reminded the public that anyone intending to operate an employment agency must apply for a licence or else they will be in breach of the Employment Ordinance (EO) and liable to prosecution.
The reminder came after a recent court case in which the department successfully prosecuted the sole proprietor of Marcus Employment Service Centre for operating the said employment agency without a licence. The operator pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined $4,000 at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Court earlier.
According to Part XII of the EO, operators must apply for licences before starting an employment agency business. The licence fee, as stipulated in the Employment Agency Regulations, is $2,000 for a main office and $385 for a branch office. The maximum penalty for unlicensed operation is $50,000.
On the other hand, job seekers are reminded to ensure that the employment agency is a licensed one when they seek employment through its service, regardless of whether the employment is in or outside Hong Kong.
For enquiries or complaints about unlicensed operation of employment agencies, please call the Employment Agencies Administration of the Labour Department on 2852 3535 or visit its office at 12/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central.
Ends/Saturday, May 29, 2010
Issued at HKT 11:01
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