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The following is issued on behalf of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority:
An employer was fined $88,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistracy today (February 23), after being convicted of offences under the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 485).
Great Praise Holdings Limited trading as Cafˆm De Great Paris, was charged under section 7(1) of the ordinance and was fined $14,000 for failing to enrol an employee in an MPF scheme.
Great Praise Holdings Limited trading as Cafˆm De Great Paris was also charged under section 7AA(7) of the ordinance. The defendant was convicted on six counts of failing to make MPF contributions to the MPFA for its relevant employee who was not a member of registered scheme within the prescribed time for the contribution periods between October 2008 and March 2009, and fined a total of $74,000.
The MPFA today pursued four claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for about $90,000 on behalf of five employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
Two defendants, Profit Income Holdings Limited and Eastern Holiday Hotel Limited, did not dispute the amounts claimed. The Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $25,524.67 and $7,078.27, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other two defendants, Lam Tai Hing Restaurant Limited trading as Lam Tai Hing Restaurant and Climax Paper Converters, Limited, did not appear, and in their absence were ordered to pay the MPFA $34,901.27 and $23,100.
The amounts awarded will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The tribunal further ordered the respective defendants to pay costs of $120, $100, $225 and $120.
Eastern Holiday Hotel Limited was previously fined $20,000 for failing to enrol two employees in an MPF scheme.
Ends/Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Issued at HKT 18:41
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