MS Services Center Limited and its director concerned were prosecuted by the Labour Department for committing wage offences and defaulting on the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The two defendants pleaded guilty at Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (March 31) and were each fined $56,000, making a total fine of $112,000.

     The company failed to pay an employee wages within seven days after the expiry of the wage period as required by the EO and the amount involved was $153,000. Also, the company failed to pay the awarded sums of about $151,000 and $63,000 to two employees within 14 days after the specified payment date of the LT award.

     The director was convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.

     "The judgment would disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors, managers, secretaries and other similar officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees in accordance with the EO and the awarded sums according to the terms of the award issued by the LT or the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the Labour Department said.

     "The Labour Department will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights," the spokesman added.

Ends/Friday, March 31, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:55

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