Employer fined for defaulting on Labour Tribunal award payments
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     Millennium Scaffolding Systems (Asia) Limited was prosecuted by the Labour Department for defaulting on the payment of sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The employer pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (May 4) and was fined $107,000.

     The employer failed to pay the awarded sums to three employees within 14 days after the specified payment date of the LT award in accordance with the requirement of EO. The LT-awarded sums were about $165,000, $230,000 and $64,000 respectively. The employer paid the awarded sum partially afterwards and the amounts concerned in the present case were about $80,000, $230,000 and $39,000.

     "The judgment will disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to comply with the requirements of the EO and pay the awarded sums according to the terms of the award issued by LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the Labour Department said.

     "The Labour Department will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

Ends/Thursday, May 4, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:50

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