Employers were warned yesterday, the day the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) was launched, that they could not escape paying their fair share.
Only about 135,000 employers, 54 per cent of those required to do so, had signed up by the deadline. About 1.44 million employees and 124,000 self-employed had joined, representing 71 per cent and 44 per cent, respectively, of those eligible.
Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority chairman Charles Lee Yeh-kwong said: 'Compared with overseas experience, the 71 per cent compliance rate is a good start.' But the response to the industry MPF schemes for casual employees in the catering and construction sectors remained low. Only 33,100 workers have joined the schemes - about 17 per cent of the combined workforces.
MPFA managing director Rafael Hui Si-yan warned bosses against trying to evade contributions. 'We strongly urge employers not to become over-complacent in thinking they can get away by taking such courses of action,' he said.
Action against those not complying will begin from January 30.
But legislator and Federation of Trade Unions vice-chairman Leung Fu-wah said many employees were scared to go to the authorities. 'The workers have to choose either retaining their jobs or risk losing them by openly opposing their bosses,' he said.
Nearly 120 workers were sacked by a restaurant that changed hands hours before the MPF came into effect.