Employer fined for breaching MPFS Ordinance
*******************************************

    An employer was fined $21,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (September 27), after being convicted of six offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance.

     In today's hearing, the defendant, Polyaim Limited trading as The Wanch, was convicted on six counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time, after making deduction from the income of one employee between February and July, 2004.  The defendant was fined $6,000 for the first summons, and $3,000 each for the other five summonses, totalling $21,000.

     Meanwhile, the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today pursued four claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for about $60,000 on behalf of six employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.

     The four defendants - Superb Sound Products Limited, King Harvest Asia Limited, Asia Team Holdings Limited and Success Fly Holdings Limited - did not appear at today's hearing.  In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $28,360.60, $16,476.26, $14,722.48 and $290.18 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharge payable.

     The amounts awarded will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA.  The court further awarded payments of $400, $190, $290 and $310 as costs in respect of the claims.

Ends/Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:46

NNNN