Sunshine Building Management Company has been fined $36,000, and Fairwood Fast Food, trading as Buddies Cafe, $17,000 at the Kowloon City Magistracy for failing to grant staff statutory holidays and rest days.

The Labour Department in February and March found Sunshine Building failed to grant statutory holidays and rest days to three employees, while two Buddies Cafe staff were similarly affected.

The Employment Ordinance states all staff, irrespective of their length of service, are entitled to 12 statutory holidays a year.

48-hour notice

If an employee works on a statutory holiday, the employer must arrange an alternative holiday not more than 60 days before or after the statutory holiday, and inform the worker 48 hours in advance of the arrangement.

An employee on continuous contract is entitled to at least one rest day every seven days, in addition to any statutory holiday.

Anyone employed under a continuous contract for at least three months immediately preceding a statutory holiday is entitled to holiday pay, which should be paid no later than their next payday.

Employers convicted over holiday offences face a $50,000 fine.