Director fined £17,000 for failing to comply with business regulations

The director of an employment agency has been fined £17,000 for eight breaches of regulations relating to his business sector.

Stephen Paul Harvey, who is aged 63 and from N10 in London, was also banned from being a company director for two years.

Mr Harvey’s offences related to the operation of two companies, one incorporated in England and Wales and the other in Malta. They were both called Whites Recruitment International Ltd, which led to considerable confusion.

One or both companies operated as employment businesses which sent a number of civil engineers and quantity surveyors to work on a project constructing universities in Libya. Of the eight charges, four related to the failure to provide four workers with the necessary paperwork in relation to their employer and the terms their employment.

The other four charges related to withholding wages totalling €25,905.60 even though the company had the means to pay.

Deputy Chief Investigation Officer, Ian West from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, said: “This is a case where Mr Harvey took action that ensured that his employment business failed to comply with the regulations that govern the industry causing significant confusion and financial losses to four of its clients.

“This conduct is not acceptable and such breaches will be investigated and prosecuted with the full force of the law which is likely, as in this case, to attract substantial financial penalties which should serve as a warning to others.”

Please contact Sarah Liddiard if you would like more information about company law and business regulations.