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An employer engaged in the medicine retail trade (KS Investment Co Ltd) was fined $20,000 in total at the Fanling Magistrates' Courts today (May 20) for wage offences under the Employment Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.

The employer was prosecuted for failing to pay wages to an employee seven days after the expiry of the wage period as required by the Employment Ordinance. The total amount of wages involved was $5,640. In addition to paying the fines, the employer was ordered to clear the owed wages with the employee.

According to Section 23 of the Employment Ordinance, wages due upon expiry of the last day of the wage period shall be paid as soon as practicable within seven days.

Any employer who fails to do so wilfully and without reasonable excuse is liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and one year in jail.

End/Tuesday, May 20, 2003

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