HK fitness centre staff warned and demoted over "forced" recruitment of mentally disabled worker

Action comes even though an investigation found no coercion was involved in the case, in which the worker racked up debts of almost HK$1 million

An unspecified number of staff at a fitness centre in Causeway Bay involved in talking a mentally disabled man into signing contracts valued at around HK$300,000 – equivalent to 30 times his monthly pay – have been warned and demoted.

This is despite the fact that an inquiry commissioned by their employer found no evidence of coercion or undue influence in the case.

The investigation came after an allegation that the 25-year-old man, identified as “Ah Sing”, was pushed into subscribing to training lessons last year. He ran up debts of nearly HK$1 million to pay for the programme.

An investigation committee formed by three individuals, including two lawyers, from outside Fight Factory Gym said the centre’s staff made use of Ah Sing’s good faith to boost their monthly commission and chances of promotion.

“Such an attitude is not illegitimate, but could be unethical and unprofessional,” the report said.

It did not suggest managers at the fitness centre should be held responsible, apart from urging them to specify contract terms for customers.

The committee stressed there was no evidence to indicate the employees in question had ever acted as intermediaries to facilitate any loan arrangement, as alleged by Ah Sing’s family.

The trainers at the fitness centre genuinely did not think the victim was mentally challenged because he had a proper job and showed no difficulties in his training lessons, the report added.

The aunt of Ah Sing, who spoke anonymously on his behalf, told media in April that his nephew earned around HK$10,000 a month as a kitchen worker.

In order to pay for his training programmes, Ah Sing was said to have borrowed repeatedly from loan agencies.

Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Bill Tang Ka-piu, from whom Ah Sing’s family sought help, said the kitchen worker’s debts snowballed to more than HK$900,000.

Tang welcomed the committee’s recommendation to increase the transparency of training contracts, but questioned some findings.

“[Ah Sing] did go to a special school for children with intellectual disabilities,” the lawmaker said, responding to the committee’s view on Ah Sing’s mental capacity.

(SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST)