As the summer holiday approaches, many recent Diploma Exam candidates and university students are taking up summer jobs to earn money and gain experience. However, they might fall into job traps. Yesterday, the Hotel and Catering Industry Employees Association held a press conference with two victims, who stated that they were owed two months’ worth of salary by a tea shop owner, and eventually had to settle for a “compensation payment”. The union called for online recruitment platforms to establish monitoring mechanisms and suspend companies related to the advertisement.
Both victims were employed at a “bubble tea” shop, where the boss failed to pay their salaries for two months, citing various excuses to delay payment. After the intervention of the Hotel and Catering Industry Employees Association and Councilor Mo Kin-wing of Wong Tai Sin District, they had to resort to the Labour Department to resolve the issue. While one victim eventually received their wages, the other victim only received partial payment.
The union revealed that the tea shop recruited students through online platforms, enticing them with an hourly wage of HK$60, higher than the minimum wage. This strategy successfully attracted many young applicants. However, on online forums, netizens pointed out that the shop used the same tactic to withhold wages last year. Some affected employees raised concerns about the company’s unethical practices to the recruitment platform, but did not receive a response.
The union and Mo Kin-wing believe that young people commonly seek jobs through online recruitment platforms, yet the government lacks supervision over these platforms. As a result, they suggest that recruitment platforms establish monitoring mechanisms. If an employer or company is charged by the Labour Department for violating the Employment Ordinance, there should be a review mechanism, imposing fines and suspending the company from posting job advertisements.
The union urges all job seekers to be vigilant when searching for work, whether it’s a summer job or part-time position. It is advisable to sign an employment contract with the employer and carefully read the terms and conditions before signing. Any uncertainties should be discussed with family members, and contracts should only be signed after a clear understanding to safeguard both parties’ interests. If a company delays salary payment for more than 7 days after the due date, one must know when to take further action to protect themselves.