Company and director fined for default on Labour Tribunal award

     Ngai Ko Metal Work Limited and its director were prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for failing to pay an employee the awarded sum of the Labour Tribunal (LT) under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The company and the director pleaded guilty at Kwun Tong Magistrates' Courts today (July 3) and were each fined $25,000 for a total of $50,000. They were also ordered by the court to compensate the outstanding sum of about $340,000 to the employee concerned.
      
     The company failed to pay the employee the awarded sum of about $340,000 within 14 days after the date set by the LT in accordance with the requirement of the EO. The director concerned was also convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in the above offence.
      
     "The judgment will disseminate a strong message to all employers and responsible officers of companies that they have to pay employees the awarded sums of the LT or Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board in accordance with the EO," 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.