Failed furniture and appliance chain DSC has left staff owed some $10 million in unpaid wages, according to Secretary for Labour & Welfare Matthew Cheung.
Cheung says the department has received requests for assistance from about 350 affected workers and he is “highly concerned” about the extent of wage arrears.
He urged the proprietors and senior management to attend a meeting scheduled to verify wage records and establish reasons for the closure and responsibility. If they do not turn up, the department will refer the case to the Labour Tribunal.
Cheung said the Government will do all it can to expedite the process to ensure employees can receive ex-gratia payments from the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund as quickly as possible.
He added that the department has set up dedicated counters to help DSC staff look for new jobs and that there are around 17,000 retail vacancies in its database.
The department will also hold a job fair on August 19 at Sha Tin Town Hall, offering 5800 vacancies.
Cheung said various departments are involved, including the Police and Customs, which demonstrates that the Government attaches great importance to the case.