Company and its director respectively sentenced to fine of $28,000 and over two months' imprisonment for contravening Employment Ordinance

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     China Ocean Industry Group Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay an employee's wages and the sum awarded by the Labour Tribunal (LT) in contravention of the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and its director pleaded guilty earlier at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts and were ordered by the court to pay the employee concerned an outstanding sum of about $1,060,000 jointly and severally. The company was also fined $28,000. The director today (January 6) was imposed two immediate imprisonment terms of 54 days and two months respectively, among which one-month imprisonment term was ordered to run consecutively.

     The company failed to pay wages to the employee concerned totalling $430,000 within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods as required by the EO and the awarded sum of about $880,000 within 14 days after the date set by the LT. The director concerned was prosecuted and convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offences committed by the company.

     "The judgment will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay employees' wages within the time limit stipulated in the EO and awarded sums as ordered by the LT or the 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/Friday, January 6, 2023
Issued at HKT 19:34

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