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The Labour Department reminds operators of employment agencies and people intending to run employment agencies that the Commissioner for Labour may, under the Employment Ordinance, refuse to issue or renew, or may revoke, a licence if the employment agency operator has contravened any provision of Part XII of the Ordinance or the Employment Agency Regulations, or if he has been convicted of an offence involving membership of a triad society, fraud, dishonesty or extortion, or for any other reason he is not a fit and proper person to operate an employment agency.
Recently, the Labour Department refused to renew the employment agency licence of Troy Domestic Helper Agency after its licensee, Troy International Trading Limited, was convicted of operating the said agency before obtaining a licence and overcharging a job seeker.
Operators of employment agencies should obtain a licence for conducting employment agency business and should not charge any reward, payment or other advantage in respect of expenses from a job-seeker directly or indirectly in connection with having obtained, obtaining or seeking to obtain employment for him or her other than the prescribed commission.
Unlicensed operation of an employment agency and overcharging a job-seeker will incur a maximum penalty of $50,000.
Enquiries or complaints about employment agencies concerning unlicensed operations or overcharging of commission can be made to the Employment Agencies Administration of the Labour Department on 2852 3535 or on 12/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong.
Ends/Saturday, August 28, 2010
Issued at HKT 12:00
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