Kwun Tong Magistracy ordered a Luen Kwong Electrical Engineering Company director to perform 160-hours' community service for wage offences today.

The Labour Department said it was the fifth time this year a community service order was imposed on a director or responsible person of a limited company for wage offences, showing the courts are attaching more importance to such offences.

Luen Kwong failed to pay $590,000 in wages to four employees within seven days after the wage-period expiry and employment termination as the law requires. The offences were committed with the director's consent, connivance or were attributable to his neglect.

Employees who are owed wages should call the department's complaint hotline 2815 2200.