Licence of employment agency revoked
2018-10-30
A spokesman for the Labour Department (LD) today (October 30) reminded operators of employment agencies (EAs) to conduct their business in compliance with the law and the Code of Practice for EAs at all times.
The LD has recently revoked the licence of My Friends Service Limited, an EA located in Tsuen Wan, the licensee of which was earlier convicted of overcharging a job seeker.
"Under the Employment Ordinance (EO), the Commissioner for Labour may revoke or refuse to issue or renew a licence of an EA if the person operating or intending to operate an EA has contravened any provision of Part XII of the EO, such as overcharging job seekers, or if he or she has contravened a code of practice promulgated under section 62A(1) of the EO," the spokesman said.
This is the sixth revocation/refusal of renewal of an EA licence this year. Previously, Familia Employment Agency located in Tai Po had its licence revoked after the licensee was convicted of overcharging three job seekers. Three other EAs, namely Tin Wai Employment Company Limited located in Mong Kok and Tuen Mun, Good Family Employment Agency Company Limited located in Kennedy Town, and Galaxy Maid Employment Consultants Limited located in Central and Causeway Bay, had their licences revoked respectively for the following reasons:
- Tin Wai Employment Company Limited: contravening the Code and providing misleading information during the inspections and enquiries of the LD;
- Good Family Employment Agency Company Limited: contravening the Code by being involved in the financial affairs of job seekers, failing to issue payment receipts to foreign domestic helpers (FDHs), and having the management fail to closely supervise its staff; and
- Galaxy Maid Employment Consultants Limited: contravening the Code by failing to include all required items in the service agreements with FDHs and their employers, failing to keep the written confirmations from FDHs and their employers declaring that they had been briefed about their statutory rights and obligations as well as the content of the Standard Employment Contract by the EA, and failing to keep records relating to the dealings with employers.
Another EA, namely JK Company located in Mong Kok, also had its licence renewal refused because its licensee had contravened the Code by failing to draw up service agreements with FDHs and their employers.
For enquiries or complaints about malpractice in regard to EAs, please call the LD's Employment Agencies Administration at 2115 3667, or visit its office at unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon.
