The Labour Department prosecuted the responsible officer of Hong Kong Blockchain Development Company Limited. He pleaded guilty at the Eastern Magistrates' Courts on October 9.

The fine is HK$51,000. The court also ordered him to pay about HK$2,147,000 to the three employees.

Here is how it went. The company did not pay the three their wages and payment in lieu of notice within seven days of the wage periods ending and their contracts being terminated. That came to about HK$1,927,000.

The workers took it to the Labour Tribunal and got an award of about HK$2,147,000. The company then did not pay that within 14 days of the date the tribunal set.

So these three were unpaid, won, and were unpaid again. Anyone who has chased an invoice knows that feeling, except this one had a court order on it.

The responsible officer was convicted for his consent, connivance or neglect in those offences. In plain words, the person running things is on the hook, not just the company name on the door.

Compare the two numbers. The fine is HK$51,000. The money owed to the workers is more than forty times that. The fine is the smaller bill in this case, and the order to pay is the one that matters to the three people involved.

A Labour Department spokesman said the ruling "will disseminate a strong message to all employers, directors and responsible officers of companies" to pay wages, termination payments and tribunal awards within the statutory time limit. The spokesman added that the department "will not tolerate these offences and will spare no effort in enforcing the law and safeguarding employees' statutory rights."

The same time limits apply to awards from the Minor Employment Claims Adjudication Board. If you are owed wages or notice pay in Hong Kong, the notice gives seven days after the wage period or termination as the line the law draws.