The president and director of a resort and spa in Watrous, Sask., pleaded guilty to abusing temporary foreign workers, asking them to pay back wages.

Dwight Hayter, president and corporate director of Manitou Pool Inc., operating as Manitou Springs Mineral Spa, faced two counts of extortion and fraud after he was arrested and charged in April 2015.

A judge at Hayter's preliminary trial in September said there wasn't enough evidence to proceed to trial and the charges were stayed.

However, on Thursday, Hayter entered a guilty plea to breaching section 76 of the Labour Standards Act, requiring an employee to return the whole or part of any wages, minimum wage or annual holiday pay paid to the employee under the Act.

RCMP investigators said they found evidence that temporary foreign workers employed at the spa were threatened with having their employment terminated or removal from Canada in exchange for money, and in some instances both.

Hayter was fined $2,000 plus an $800 surcharge. The company repaid all of the wages returned by the temporary foreign workers. Two employees received a total of $4,697.50.

Employment Standards officers investigated after receiving anonymous and public complaints alleging the employer required employees to return wages they had been paid.