Eight employers ordered to pay MPF arrears
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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:

     The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today (March 31) pursued eight claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $160,000 on behalf of 36 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.

     At the Tribunal's hearing today, the defendant, Leung Mei Yan trading as Hong Wah Transportation Co., did not dispute the amount claimed. The Adjudicator ordered it to pay the MPFA the sum of $5,512.5, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

     The other seven defendants, Excellence 08 Limited trading as Golden Man Ho Seafood Restaurant, Law Kuen Cho formerly trading as Sun Chuen Fat Roasted Meat Ka, Star Team Development Limited trading as Wall City, Co-tech Industrial (Holdings) Limited, Pershing Company Limited, Grand Dragon Incorporation Limited and Wah Tai Farm Company Limited, did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $46,917.03, $41,158.72, $29,139.61, $27,424.25, $6,255.9, $6,183.41 and $1,512, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

     The amounts awarded at the Tribunal will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The Tribunal ordered the respective defendants to pay $90, $209, $250, $110, $196, $90, $129 and $70 as the costs in respect of the claims.

     Star Team Development Limited trading as Wall City pleaded guilty previously at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts to three counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and was fined $14,000.

Ends/Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:51

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