Waitress charged by ICAC for allegedly bribing Labour Department staff in wages and severance payment claim

A waitress was charged by the ICAC yesterday (October 8) for allegedly offering bribes consisting of a supermarket voucher and cash worth totalling $350 to two staff members of the Labour Department (LD) for assisting her in filing a claim for wages and severance payment against her former employer. Her offers were rejected by the LD staff.

Ting Shuk-fan, 52; faces two counts of offering an advantage to a public servant, contrary to Section 4(1)(a) of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance. She was released on ICAC bail, pending her appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts tomorrow (October 10) for plea.

The ICAC investigation arose from a corruption complaint referred by the LD. The defendant was employed by a caterer between February 2012 and June 2019. In mid-August 2024, she submitted a claim form to the LD in relation to her claim against the caterer for wages and severance payment.

The Employment Ordinance had a statutory time limit of three months for filing a claim for severance payment. Since the defendant filed her claim after the time limit, an Assistant Clerical Officer of the LD assisted her in applying for an extension of the time limit to facilitate her claim and to fix a conciliation meeting between herself and her former employer.

One of the charges alleges that on August 30 2024, the defendant offered a supermarket cash voucher worth $50 to the Assistant Clerical Officer of the LD for assisting her in continuing the claim against her former employer. The Assistant Clerical Officer immediately turned down her offer and reported the matter to a supervisor.

The defendant was later informed by an Assistant Labour Officer of the LD that the former employer would not send any representative to attend the conciliation meeting as the defendant resigned on her own accord. The Assistant Labour Officer then asked the defendant to pursue the claim with the Labour Tribunal.

The other charge alleges that on December 16 2024, the defendant offered $300 in cash to the Assistant Labour Officer for assisting her in continuing the claim against her former employer. The Assistant Labour Officer immediately turned down the offer and reported the matter to a supervisor.

The LD rendered full assistance to the ICAC during its investigation into the case.

The ICAC reminds members of the public that bribery is a serious offence carrying a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of $500,000 on conviction. Members of the public should never offer any bribe to civil servants in exchange for assistance or favour.