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Shun Fat Woodwork Company Limited was fined $35,000 at the Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts recently for wage offences under the Employment Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.
The employer failed to pay wages to an employee within seven days of the expiry of the wage period and the termination of employment. The amount of wages involved was $34,000.
According to Section 23 and 25 of the Employment Ordinance, wages due upon expiry of the last day of the wage period or upon termination of employment shall be paid as soon as practicable, but not later than seven days.
Any employer who fails to do so wilfully and without reasonable excuse is liable to a maximum fine of $350,000 and imprisonment for three years.
The spokesman urged employees who were owed wages to report immediately to the department's complaints hotline on 2815 2200.
Ends/Sunday, July 2, 2006
Issued at HKT 11:16
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