Directors fined $5,000 for interfering with employment standards officer

Payroll records reported false wages, time sheets

Restaurant directors Edward Chiu Ling Soo-Hoo and Edward Chi Chung Chan were fined $2,500 each for violating the Employment Standards Act by interfering with an Employment Standards officer who was inspecting records.

On Aug. 14, 2008, an Employment Standards officer attended the Bamboo Terrace Tavern, in Collingwood, to conduct an audit of the restaurant's payroll and employment records. The restaurant was required to provide a list of employees, time sheets and payroll records. On Aug. 20, 2008, an employee advised the officer that the records provided by the company's directors, Soo-Hoo and Chan, were false.

A Ministry of Labour investigation found another set of records in the restaurant and concluded the first set of records provided to the officer was false. Specifically, the list of employees did not account for all workers, payroll records reported false wage rates and time sheets did not show actual hours worked or account for all employees.

Soo-Hoo and Chan both pleaded guilty to attempting to hinder, obstruct or interfere with an employment standards officer conducting an inspection of records.

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