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| Labour Department office in Sheung Wan |
The Labour Department has announced the cancellation of the employment agency license of HelperFirst Limited, which used to operate at The Hive in Sai Kung at no 5 Tai Mong Tsai Road.
A statement issued by the Department on Thursday, July 9, said the cancellation was issued after it was found out that a person related to HelperFirst was earlier convicted of operating an employment agency without a valid license.
The agency appealed the cancellation of its license to the Administrative Appeals Board but failed in its bid.
HelperFirst used to promoted itself as an ethical agency and offered as part of its services the matching of domestic workers with local employers. A check of their website said the agency was
Under the Employment Ordinance the Commissioner for Labour may revoke the license of an employment agency if he is satisfied that the licensee concerned or a related person of the licensee has contravened any provision of the EO.
“The EO stipulates that the Commissioner may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or may revoke a licence, if he is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee of an EA, or a related person of or an individual employed by the licensee or the person intending to be the licensee, has contravened any provision of Part XII or any regulation made under section 62 of the EO, such as overcharging job seekers or operating an EA without a licence, or has not complied with the Code issued under section 62A(1) of the EO,” said the LD statement.
The Department reminded operators of EAs to carry out their business in accordance with law and the requirements set out in the Code of Practice at all times.
All matters pertaining to employment agencies including suspected violations of the EO or the Code of Practice may be relayed to the Employment Agencies Administration (telephone: 2115 3667; email: ea-ee@labour.gov.hk; address: Unit 906, 9/F, One Mong Kok Road Commercial Centre, 1 Mong Kok Road, Kowloon).
