Labour Department shuts down agency for not issuing receipts to FDHs

Kennedy Town (Photo: Google Maps)

The Labour Department (LD) yesterday (July 24) said it shut down an employment agency in Kennedy Town for failing to issue payment receipts to foreign domestic workers.

The LD said it revoked the license of Good Family Employment Agency Company Limited after it failed to rectify its violations of Hong Kong labor laws and the Code of Practice for Employment Agencies (EAs).

“The LD recently revoked the licence of Good Family Employment Agency Company Limited, an EA located in Kennedy Town, which failed to meet the standards set out in the Code by being involved in the financial matters of job seekers, failing to issue payment receipts to foreign domestic helpers, and having its management fail to closely supervise all its staff,” an LD spokesperson said.

“Despite repeated warnings given by the Employment Agencies Administration (EAA) of the LD, (Good Family) was unable to rectify the irregularities detected,” he added.

The Code prohibits EAs from getting involved in the financial affairs of job applicants and also requires them to issue receipts.

The spokesperson said the Commissioner for Labour was satisfied that the licensee of Good Family “was not a fit and proper person to operate an EA and revoked the licence on grounds under the Employment Ordinance.”

“”The Code sets out the salient legislative requirements that EA operators must observe in operating their business, as well as the minimum standards which the Commissioner expects of EAs,” he said.

“The EAA conducts regular and surprise inspections of EAs and issues warning letters to EAs for contraventions of the Code, so as to rectify any irregularity detected,” he added.

The LD said Good Family was the third employment agency that lost its license this year due to labor violations.

The department earlier shut down Tin Wai Employment Company Limited, an EA located in Mong Kok and Tuen Mun, for violating the Code and providing “misleading information during the inspections and enquiries of the EAA.”

Another EA named JK Company in Mong Kok 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, please call the LD’s EAA at 2115 3667, or visit its office at Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon.