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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1994
MAXIMUM FINE IMPOSED FOR UNREPORTED OVERTIME WORK
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STOP
FACTORY OWNERS AND EMPLOYERS MUST COMPLY WITH LABOUR LAW AND ENGAGING WOMEN IN WORK OUTSIDE THEIR NORMAL PERMITTED PERIOD OF
EMPLOYMENT.
THEY SHOULD SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR OVERTIME WORK FOR WOMEN WORKERS TO THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT IF THEY WISH TO ENGAGE WOMEN TO WORK OVERTIME.
THE REMINDER FOLLOWS RECENT COURT CASES IN WHICH THREE DIFFERENT EMPLOYERS WERE GIVEN THE MAXIMUM FINE OF $10,000 AT THE TSUEN WAN MAGISTRACY FOR ENGAGING WOMEN IN UNREPORTED OVERTIME WORK.
THE THREE CASES WERE DETECTED WHEN LABOUR INSPECTORS LABOUR DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED THEIR ROUTINE INSPECTIONS.
OF THE
IN KWAI
IN THE FIRST CASE, KIJIMA MUSEN (HONG KONG) LIMITED CHUNG WAS FOUND TO HAVE ENGAGED 16 WOMEN IN UNREPORTED OVERTIME WORK.
IN ANOTHER INSPECTION, TACK FAT SWIMWEAR MANUFACTURING LIMITED IN KWAI CHUNG WAS FOUND TO HAVE ENGAGED 20 WOMEN TO WORK OVERTIME WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT.
THE THIRD CASE CAME TO LIGHT WHEN LABOUR INSPECTORS FOUND THAT 32 WOMEN WERE ENGAGED IN UNREPORTED OVERTIME WORK DURING THEIR INSPECTION TO THE JEAN MACHINE LIMITED IN TSUEN WAN,
LABOUR OFFICER (PROSECUTIONS) MISS RITA MA POINTED OUT THAT UNDER THE WOMEN AND YOUNG PERSONS (INDUSTRY) REGULATIONS, IT WAS AN OFFENCE FOR AN EMPLOYER TO CHANGE THE PRESCRIBED WORKING HOURS OF WOMEN IN INDUSTRY OR TO ENGAGE THEM IN OVERTIME WORK, WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT BEFOREHAND.
"THE LAW ALSO REQUIRES THE EMPLOYER TO DISPLAY IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE IN THE FACTORY A NOTICE SETTING OUT THE PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT, INTERVALS FOR MEALS OR REST, AND REST DAYS FOR WOMEN WORKERS, MISS MA SAID.
" EMPLOYERS SHOULD STRICTLY ADHERE TO THE PERMISSIBLE HOURS OF WORK SET OUT IN THE NOTICE, SHE ADDED.
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FOR YOUNG PERSONS, MISS MA NOTED THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE EMPLOYED TO WORK OVERTIME IN INDUSTRIAL UNDERTAKINGS.
ANY EMPLOYER WHO BREACHES THE REGULATIONS IS LIABLE TO A MAXIMUM FINE OF $10,000.
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