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Hong Kong Mercantile Exchange Limited's director was sentenced to six weeks' immediate imprisonment for a wage offence and six weeks' immediate imprisonment for default on awarded payment of the Labour Tribunal under the Employment Ordinance respectively, which will run concurrently, at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (April 23). The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.
The company failed to pay wages to an employee within seven days after the termination of employment as required by the ordinance. The total amount of payment involved was about $210,000. Furthermore, the company failed to pay the awarded sum of about $340,000 to the employee within 14 days after the specified payment date of the Labour Tribunal award. The director was convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the offences.
The judgment clearly shows that the department will spare no effort to combat offences related to payment of wages and default of awarded sums of the Labour Tribunal or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board. The Government does not tolerate any exploitation of employees' statutory rights, and will bring employers and responsible persons of limited companies in contravention of the law to justice.
"The sentence imposed by the court helps disseminate a strong message to all employers and responsible persons of limited companies that failure to effect payment of wages and awarded sums of the Labour Tribunal or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board are serious offences and they should comply with the law. The Labour Department will continue to make dedicated efforts in protecting the statutory rights of employees," a spokesman for the Labour Department said.
Ends/Thursday, April 23, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:28
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