Employer fined $68,600 for contravening Employment Ordinance
An employer was prosecuted by the Labour Department (LD) for violating requirements under the Employment Ordinance (EO). The employer pleaded guilty at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts today (December 30) and was fined a total sum of $68,600. The employer was also ordered to pay the employee concerned an outstanding sum of about $205,000.
The employer wilfully and without reasonable excuse contravened the requirements of the EO, failing to pay an employee's wages and payment in lieu of notice within seven days after the expiry of the wage periods and termination of employment, as well as holiday pay and annual leave pay within the statutory time limit, totalling over $171,000. The employer also failed to pay the awarded sum of about $205,000 in total to the employee within 14 days after the date set by the Labour Tribunal (LT).
"The ruling will disseminate a strong message to all employers that they have to pay wages to employees within the statutory time limit stipulated in the EO, as well as the sums awarded 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.
Director-General of Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises visits Hangzhou and Shanghai to promote Hong Kong's advantages
The Director-General of the Office for Attracting Strategic Enterprises (OASES), Mr Peter Yan, today (May 16) concluded his visit to Hangzhou and Shanghai. It was a follow-up visit after multiple previous visits to Hangzhou and Shanghai earlier this year, and aimed to promote Hong Kong's latest developments and new opportunities in the innovation and technology industry and attract potential strategic enterprises to establish their presence in Hong Kong.
During the visit to Hangzhou from May 13 to 15, Mr Yan engaged with several leading enterprises in AI and data science, and cultural and creative industries. Additionally, he met with representatives from the Hangzhou Science and Technology Bureau to explore collaborative opportunities. The discussions focused on how Hong Kong and the Yangtze River Delta region can leverage their respective strengths to fill gaps and capitalise on research opportunities, supported by global talent.
Mr Yan stated, "Hangzhou, renowned for its dynamic technology ecosystem and advanced AI research and development capabilities, has emerged as a key innovation hub in China. The city's cultural and creative sector has experienced significant growth, particularly in the gaming industry, with recent successes like Black Myth: Wukong exemplifying its ability to fuse Chinese heritage with cutting-edge technology. We encourage more enterprises in the AI and cultural and creative industries to capitalise on Hong Kong's unique advantages to expand globally while fostering the vibrant growth of local AI and creative sectors."
Mr Yan started his visit to Shanghai on the afternoon of May 15. He highlighted the city's role as a key economic hub and leader in life and health technology, driving innovation in pharmaceuticals and healthcare. He emphasised how Hong Kong's AI and data infrastructure could drive industry growth and foster cross-border collaboration.
Apart from life and health technology industry leaders, Mr Yan also met with leaders of cultural and creative and advanced manufacturing industries, holding strategic discussions with the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Science and Technology to enhance the innovation ecosystem and foster high-potential ventures.
Mr Yan concluded his official visit to Shanghai this evening and returned to Hong Kong. The visit reinforced Hong Kong's role as a global innovation hub, fostering industry partnerships and cross-border collaboration to drive technological growth and economic development.
