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Mr Peter Leung Tak Sing, who operated a construction company, Archinteriors, was fined $50,000 at the Sha Tin Magistrates' Courts today (July 14) for wage offences under the Employment Ordinance. The prosecution was launched by the Labour Department.
The employer failed to pay wages to five employees within seven days of the termination of employment as required by the ordinance. The amount of wages involved was about $72,800.
According to Section 25 of the Employment Ordinance, wages due 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 also urged employees who were owed wages to report immediately to the department's complaints hotline on 2815 2200.
Ends/Friday, July 14, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:45
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