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In response to media enquiries about Asia Television Limited (ATV), a spokesman for the Labour Department (LD) today (April 1) gave the following reply:
"As at April 1, the LD has received about 400 applications for ex-gratia payment of the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund (PWIF) from former employees of ATV. We will continue to render full assistance to other employees who have left service.
The provisional liquidators of ATV has submitted to the LD the information of 22 employees on March 17 and that of another 47 employees on March 24 (i.e. 69 employees in total), among whom 60 have already filed PWIF applications. The LD already reminded the provisional liquidators on many occasions to provide the LD with all the information relating to outstanding payments to the employees concerned as soon as possible. On the other hand, the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) trustee also provided the LD with the relevant information of the first batch of 174 employees on March 24.
For cases with all the required information and documents received (including those provided by the provisional liquidators and MPF trustee), the LD continues to expedite the processing procedures with a view to completing the verification and releasing ex-gratia payment to eligible applicants in batches as soon as possible.
As regards employment services, following the Job Fair for broadcasting/media industry held on March 22, the LD will organise another thematic job fair at its Hong Kong East Job Centre (Address: 34/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai; Tel: 2591 1318) on April 7 (Thursday). Six broadcasting/media organisations will participate in the job fair, which will provide a total of about 300 broadcasting-related vacancies. Former ATV employees and other interested job-seekers are welcomed to apply. The LD will continue to liaise proactively with major broadcasting organisations to canvass relevant job vacancies. Job seekers may also browse information on these vacancies anytime via the dedicated webpage of the LD's Interactive Employment Service website, or the mobile application.
As to the investigation and prosecution work relating to wage offences, the LD laid 102 summonses earlier against ATV and its director each. ATV pleaded guilty to all summonses and was fined a cumulative total of $1,070,000. The director concerned was also convicted of 100 summonses after trial and was fined a total of $150,000. We are now seeking legal advice on some cases with investigation completed recently and will contemplate prosecutions should there be sufficient evidence and prosecution witness(es)."
Ends/Friday, April 1, 2016
Issued at HKT 22:23
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