The Federation of Catering Trade Unions told "Hong Kong 01" that many restaurants under Asia Pacific Catering Holdings Co., Ltd., which owns 12 different catering brands, suddenly closed down and received help from more than 100 workers of the company, referring to yesterday (June 30). He received a notice that he did not need to go to work today (July 1), and he was expected to be in arrears of more than 2 million yuan in wages, including employee wages, notice payments and MPF contributions for multiple months.
The MPFA responded that the MPFA attaches great importance to cases of non-compliance with employers’ default in MPF contributions. Employers are obliged to make regular and punctual MPF contributions for their employees in accordance with the law. It is the MPFA’s responsibility to assist employees in recovering employers’ arrears of contributions. primary responsibility.
The MPFA also stated that it has been monitoring employers' handling of MPF contributions through an effective reporting mechanism, including regular reports from trustees to the bureau, and will proactively follow up on non-compliance cases.
Under normal circumstances, if it is known that an employer has failed to make contributions to employees in accordance with the MPF legislation, the Bureau will first require the violating employer to pay off the outstanding contributions and surcharges for the outstanding contributions as soon as possible.
If the employer is still in arrears, the bureau will take further action, including filing a civil claim in court on behalf of the employee to recover the arrears and surcharges.
In addition, if there is sufficient evidence, the MPFA will initiate criminal prosecution against the offending employer through the Department of Justice and the police.
The MPFA reminds all employers that defaulting on MPF contributions is a criminal offence, punishable by a maximum fine of $450,000 and imprisonment for four years.