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Time Fashion Electronics Company Limited was fined a total of $20,000 today (October 29) at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts for unlawful dismissal of a pregnant employee and for wage offences under the Employment Ordinance. The prosecutions were launched by the Labour Department.
The employee served the notice of pregnancy to the defendant on August 12 last year. The company subsequently dismissed the employee on November 20 of the same year on ground of redundancy.
The company also failed to pay wages of October to the employee within seven days after the expiry of wage period as required by the Employment Ordinance.
According to Section 15 of the Employment Ordinance, it is an offence for an employer to dismiss an employee after she has served a notice of pregnancy, except for that she is summarily dismissed due to her serious misconduct. Any employer who contravenes this provision is liable to a maximum fine of $100,000.
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, but not later than seven days thereafter. Any employer who fails to do so wilfully and without reasonable excuse is liable to a maximum fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.
The Labour Department urged employees who were owed wages to call its complaint hotline, 2815 2200, immediately.
Ends/Thursday, October 29, 2009
Issued at HKT 18:56
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