Five employers ordered to pay MPF
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    The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today (February 17) obtained orders for payment of outstanding MPF contributions owed to 59 employees at around $700,000 against two employers in the District Court. The MPFA today also pursued three claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $32,000 on behalf of four employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.

     The District Court today issued judgments against two employers, Creator Investments Limited trading as New Choice Seafood Restaurant and Hin Sum Manpower Company Limited. The defendants were ordered to pay the MPFA the sums of $353,784.56 and $353,153.09 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable to 53 and six employees of the defendants.

     At the tribunal's hearing today, the defendant, New Style Optical Limited, did not dispute the amount claimed. The Adjudicator ordered it to pay the MPFA the sum of $19,168.15, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

     The other two defendants, Front First Ltd and Richfield Construction Engineering Limited, did not appear at today's hearing. In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of $12,509.69 and $800.5 respectively, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

     The amounts, awarded at both the District Court and the Tribunal will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA. The court further awarded payments of $930 for each of the two District Court cases, $210, $260 and $160 for the Tribunal cases respectively as costs in respect of the claims.

Ends/Friday, February 17, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:11

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