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The licensee of Vicks Maid Consultant Company (originally located in Causeway Bay and since February 2015 located in Sha Tin) was convicted and fined $10,000 and $4,000 at Eastern Magistrates' Courts on July 3 for overcharging a job seeker and operating an employment agency at a place not specified in the licence respectively.
This is the third employment agency that has been convicted of overcharging this year. The other two agencies are Bagus Employment Agency (located in Central) and Satisfactory Employment & Travel Centre Limited (located in Tai Wai). Both agencies no longer hold valid licences for operating employment agencies to provide job-placement services.
The Employment Agencies Administration (EAA) of the Labour Department (LD) received complaints against the employment agency concerned for overcharging of commission from job seekers. Investigation revealed that the agency had collected excessive placement fees from foreign domestic helpers and operated the employment agency at a place not specified in the licence.
The LD reminds employment agencies to operate in full compliance with the law. Failure to do so may lead to prosecution and possible revocation of licences.
According to the law, employment agencies are not allowed to collect from job seekers any fees or charges other than the prescribed commission, which is set at 10 per cent of the latter's first month's salary upon successful placement. Operators must apply for a licence before starting an employment agency business and apply for a duplicate licence for each branch office.
For enquiries or complaints about unlicensed operations or overcharging of commissions by employment agencies, please call the EAA at 2852 3535 or visit its office on 12/F, Harbour Building, 38 Pier Road, Central, Hong Kong.
Ends/Monday, July 6, 2015
Issued at HKT 12:11
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