Harvest Time Engineering Limited and its two directors were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay wages and defaulting on the sums awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) to one employee, contrary to the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and the two directors pleaded guilty at Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts today (July 15) and were each fined $60,000 for a total of $180,000. In addition, the company and the two directors were ordered to pay an outstanding sum of about $310,000 to the employee concerned.

     The company failed to pay one employee's wages of about $60,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage period or the date of termination of employment, and the awarded sum of about $330,000 within 14 days after the date of the LT Award, as required by the EO. The two directors concerned were prosecuted and convicted for their consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences.

     "The ruling helps disseminate a strong message to all employers and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay wages to employees within the time limit stipulated in the EO and to pay the awarded sums according to the LT or Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board," a spokesman for the LD said.

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

Ends/Monday, July 15, 2019
Issued at HKT 18:15

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