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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 10) obtained an order in the District Court against an employer for payment of outstanding MPF contributions at about $130,000. The MPFA also pursued six claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $120,000 on behalf of 37 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.
The District Court today issued judgment against Ho Hon Construction & Engineering Limited which was ordered to pay the MPFA the sum of $132,234.21, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable to eight employees of the defendant.
At the tribunal's hearing today, four defendants - Tai Kin Construction Company Limited, Multi Tone Hong Kong Development Limited trading as Man Ho Seafood Restaurant, Gold Sea Engineering Limited and Yuen Wui Engineering Limited - did not dispute the amounts claimed. The Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $31,594.62, $19,715.41, $17,641.78 and $10,554.43, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The other two defendants, Rhoda International Kindergarten and Yat Kin Company Limited, did not appear. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA $36,963.89 and $2,421.22, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.
The amounts both awarded at the District Court and the tribunal will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The District Court ordered the defendant to pay costs of $930 and the Tribunal ordered the respective defendants to pay costs of $176, $120, $135, $100, $310 and $136.
Tai Kin Construction Company Limited and Gold Sea Engineering Limited pleaded guilty previously at Kwun Tong Magistracy to eight counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and one count of failing to enroll its employee to an MPF scheme and were fined $24,000 and $10,000 respectively.
Ends/Monday, March 10, 2008
Issued at HKT 17:41
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