Five employers ordered to pay MPF non-payment
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    The Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (MPFA) today (December 6) pursued five claims in the Small Claims Tribunal for some $130,000 on behalf of 10 employees, who were owed MPF contributions by their employers.

     At today's hearing, the defendant, Compact Building Materials Company Limited, did not dispute the amount claimed.  The Adjudicator ordered it to pay the MPFA the sum of $47,710.69, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

     The other four defendants - Chinese Club Discount Centre Limited, Champion Asia Development Limited trading as Kam Chuen Restaurant, Lau Shu Cheung trading as Wah Kee Congee and Wai Keung Construction (Hong Kong) Company Limited - did not appear at today's hearing.  In their absence, the Adjudicator ordered them to pay the MPFA the sums of  $48,647.53, $22,783.2, $10,635.42 and $8,913.59, being mandatory contributions in arrears and surcharges payable.

     The amounts awarded will be reimbursed to the employees' MPF accounts as soon as they are received by the MPFA.  The court further awarded payments of $202, $190, $216, $210 and $90 as the costs in respect of the claims.

     Compact Building Materials Company Limited and Wai Keung Construction (Hong Kong) Company Limited pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistracy earlier to five and two counts of failing to make MPF contributions on time and were fined $16,000 and $8,000 respectively.

Ends/Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Issued at HKT 17:52

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