**********************************************
The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today (September 29) pursued six claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $95,000 on behalf of 15 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers. In the District Court, an employer was ordered to pay some $130,000 for 13 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by the employer.
At today's hearing, Chan Chee Keung trading as Lee Fung Transport Construction and Engineering Co. did not dispute the amount claimed. The Adjudicator ordered it to pay the MPFA the sum of $19,798.82, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other five defendants - New Chinese Medicine (HK) Limited, Hosen Investment Limited, Sino Will Limited trading as Tung's Leader, Sum Pak Secretarial Ltd. and Tanyo Catering Limited trading as Jade Butterfly Restaurant - did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $34,528.82, $15,017.76, $14,318.75, $7,315.22 and $3,595.39 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges 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 $110, $180, $260, $350, $260 and $470 as costs in respect of the claims.
New Chinese Medicine (HK) Limited pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistracy earlier to 14 counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and was fined $19,600.
Meanwhile, the District Court today issued a judgment against an employer. The defendant, Prosper Wave Limited trading as Mind Body Colon Cleansing Centre, was ordered to pay the MPFA $133,580.86, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable to an employee of the defendant.
The amount awarded will be reimbursed to the employee's MPF account as soon as it is received by the MPFA. The court further ordered the defendant to pay $930 as the cost of the claim.
Ends/Thursday, September 29, 2005
Issued at HKT 18:53
NNNN
