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Employment agency licences revoked
The Labour Department today (Saturday) urged operators of employment agencies to comply with the law, or their licences could be revoked.
The licences of three employment agencies were revoked and the licence of another employment agency was not renewed following the operators of the agencies were convicted of offences involving fraud.
The licence of Sanbarry Employment Centre was revoked after the licensee was found guilty of aiding and abetting the making of false representation to an Immigration Officer regarding the arrangement of bogus employment contracts for four Filipino domestic helpers.
Moreover, the Labour Department had revoked the licences of Li An Commodities Limited and Manisource Investment Limited, and had also refused to renew the licence of Rahmat Trading & Services Co. The operators of the agencies were convicted of conspiring with employers and inciting other persons to supply false wage information to the Immigration Department in the application for Indonesian domestic helpers.
"Under the Employment Ordinance, the Commissioner for Labour may refuse to issue or renew, or may revoke a licence if the person operating or intending to operate the agency has been convicted of an offence involving membership of a triad society, fraud, dishonesty or extortion, or has contravened any provision of Part XII of the Employment Ordinance or the Employment Agency Regulations, or is not a fit and proper person to operate an employment agency," Labour Officer (Employment Agencies Administration), Mrs Lourdes Lam, said today (Saturday).
"Moreover, an employment agency can only charge a successful job-seeker a commission of not more than 10 per cent of his first month's salary. Overcharging a job-seeker is an offence under the Employment Ordinance. The maximum penalty is $50,000," she added.
Enquiries and complaints on the operation of employment agencies can be made to the Employment Agencies Administration in person or by telephone at 2852 3535.
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