XN000022-1992-02-19 — Page 28

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1992

26

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE EMPLOYMENT (AMENDMENT) (NO. 3)

AND BILL 1992 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION MANPOWER, MR JOHN CHAN, SAID CASES OF UNLAWFUL DEDUCTION AND

UNDERPAYMENT OF WAGES BY UNSCRUPULOUS EMPLOYERS HAD ARISEN LABOUR IMPORTATION SCHEMES.

UNDER

THE

SUCH MALPRACTICE, IT IS NECESSARY ΤΟ

THE EMPLOYMENT ORDINANCE

"IN ORDER TO DETER INCREASE THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES THESE OFFENCES, HE SAID.

17

UNDER

MR CHAN POINTED OUT THAT A NUMBER OF IMPORTED WORKERS BEEN PAID THEIR FULL WAGES SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION IMPORTATION OF LABOUR SCHEME IN 1989.

FOR

OF

HAD NOT THE

"THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM IMPORTED WORKERS WHO ALLEGED THAT THEY WERE ASKED BY EMPLOYERS WAGE RECEIPTS OR TWO DIFFERENT SETS UNLAWFUL DEDUCTION OR UNDERPAYMENT OF WAGES,

OF WAGE

H

ΤΟ RECEIPTS HE SAID.

ΤΟ SIGN BLANK UP COVER

DURING THE FIRST ELEVEN MONTHS OF LAST YEAR, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT RECEIVED REPORTS OF 370 ITEMS OF SUSPECTED IRREGULARITIES

OF WAGES AND 48 CONCERNING UNDERPAYMENT AND UNLAWFUL DEDUCTION THEM WERE SUBSTANTIATED. AFTER INVESTIGATION WHILE MANY OF REMAINING ITEMS ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.

OF THE

11

MR

"THE AVAILABILITY AND ACCURACY OF THE WAGE RECORDS AND RELATED DOCUMENTS KEPT BY EMPLOYERS ARE ESSENTIAL IN SUCH INVESTIGATIONS, CHAN STRESSED.

31,

CONVICTED

AS AT JANUARY

FIVE EMPLOYERS HAVE BEEN UNDERPAYMENT OR UNLAWFUL DEDUCTION OF WAGES IN RESPECT OF A 14 SUMMONSES.

FOR TOTAL OF

"THE AVERAGE FINE IMPOSED FOR THESE SUMMONSES WAS $1,000 IS UNLIKELY TO BE AN EFFECTIVE DETERRENT, THE SECRETARY SAID.

WHICH

THE BILL THEREFORE SOUGHT TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR THESE OFFENCES, HE SAID.

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

/27