2023.12.28

The “Regulations for Handling Complaints of Workplace Sexual Harassment by Local Competent Authorities” were promulgated and will go into effect on March 8, 2024.

2023.12.27

President Tsai has announced the enactment of the “Minimum Wage Act” through the passage of a special law. This move aims to enhance the framework of the minimum wage review mechanism and ensure the government's commitment to safeguarding the economic well-being of low-income workers. The law took effect on January 1, 2024 after approval by the Executive Yuan.

2023.12.25

The Bureau of Labor Insurance of the MOL announced the implementation of the “2024 Labor Insurance Insured Relief Loan”, the maximum loan amount for each eligible applicant is NT$100,000, and the application period is from January 5, 2024 to January 19, 2024.

2023.12.15

Amendments were made to the “Enforcement Rules of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act” concerning several key points. The amendments include clarifications regarding the reporting dates and methods for mandatory insurance for government social welfare service units managed by hired personnel working at village (borough) offices, specifying the procedures for adding, withdrawing, and transferring insurance coverage, as well as adjustments to the calculation basis, disbursement, and repayment procedures for occupational accident prevention and rehabilitation funds. These changes are intended to align with practical operational requirements and enhance the rights and interests of insured individuals and policyholders.

2023.12.14

The interest rate for the loan period for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Labor Insurance Insured Relief Loan was announced to be 2.04% per annum starting from the first business day in January 2024 (January 2, 2024).

2023.12.11

An announcement was made regarding the implementation of stable employment measures for seven industries, including rubber product manufacturing, metal product manufacturing, electronic component manufacturing, computers, electronic products, and optical product manufacturing, machinery and equipment manufacturing, other transportation equipment and its parts manufacturing, travel, and other related service industries, from January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024.

2023.12.06

The “Long-Term Retention of Migrant Workers Service Center” was established to provide services such as obtaining necessary documents for employers before applying for mid-level technical manpower, clarifying ongoing cases, and providing guidance and support for retention after hiring. It serves to address employers' doubts regarding the hiring of mid-level technical workers and offers high-quality and convenient services.

2023.12.06

The “One-Stop Service for Migrant Workers” organized by the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) of the MOL was selected for recognition by the National Development Council during the “6th Government Service Award.” This service offers orientation on the rights upon arrival for newly hired foreign domestic workers who have not participated in pre-departure orientation within the last five years. It also simplifies the application process for mandatory documents for employers. Employers can utilize this one-stop service to seamlessly complete the five essential tasks related to the hiring of foreign workers, ensuring the protection of the rights and interests of both employers and employees.

2023.12.06

According to the clarification letter Lao-Dong-Bao 2-Zi No.1120157957 issued by the Ministry of Labor, after the implementation of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, for individuals who are simultaneously covered by both the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance (referred to as “LOAI”) and Labor Insurance (referred to as “LI”) and experience a work-related disability resulting in permanent incapacity to work, they may apply for disability benefits under the LOAI. Subsequently, if they meet the eligibility criteria specified in the Labor Insurance Act (referred to as “LIA”) for retirement benefits, they can also apply for such benefits as stipulated by the regulations.
Additionally, for individuals who are concurrently receiving both LOAI and LI pension benefits, their payments will be subject to reduction or adjustment as per the provisions outlined in Article 58 of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act. Moreover, considering the nature of insurance benefits claimed by the survivors of deceased insured individuals, in accordance with the provisions of Article 63-1, Paragraph 2, and Paragraph 4 of the Labor Insurance Act, the benefits fall under the categories of disability or old-age pension benefits.

2023.12.05

The MOL hosted the “2023 National Talent Development Awards Ceremony,” which is the only national-level recognition in the field of human resources in Taiwan, serving to honor outstanding organizations in terms of human resource development, innovation, and effectiveness while setting benchmarks for industry peers. 10 winning organizations were recognized, including large corporations, small and medium-sized enterprises, government agencies, and non-profit organizations, as well as 7 distinguished individual award winners.

2023.12.05

The MOL organized the “2023 International Seminar on Green Energy Industry Safety and Health”, and invited experts and scholars from various countries, including the UK Health and Safety Executive, the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of Germany, the International Association of Labour Inspection, the High-Pressure Gas Safety Institute of Japan, CSBC-DEME Wind Engineering, Synera Renewable Energy, and Ørsted, among others, to share their insights. Representatives from the British Office Taipei, the German Institute Taipei, and senior executives from Taiwan's green energy industry also attended. The focus was on offshore wind energy, solar photovoltaics, and hydrogen safety, with the aim of enhancing occupational safety and health standards in Taiwan's green energy industry.

2023.11.30

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the MOL submitted its “Taiwan Occupational Health and Sustainable Workforce Development Program” for consideration in the “2023 National Sustainable Development Award.” The program subsequently won the “Government Agency Category National Sustainable Development Award.” The award ceremony took place on November 30 at the NTUH International Convention Center, and was graced by the presence of the Premier Chen Chien-Jen of the Executive Yuan. The award was received on behalf of OSHA by Deputy Director-General Lin Yu-Tang.

2023.11.29

The “Pension Contributions during Mandatory Military Service Act” was promulgated by the President and took effect from January 1, 2024. For active service males born in or after 2005, while serving their mandatory military service under the jurisdiction of competent agencies (including the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of the Interior, Coast Guard Administration, and National Security Bureau), they are required to contribute 6% of their monthly income to the retirement pension. These contributions will be deposited into an individual account established by the Bureau of Labor Insurance for retirement pensions. Men in mandatory military service may also choose to voluntarily contribute to their retirement pensions within the 6% range.

2023.11.27

The 21st Golden Wingspan Awards Presentation Ceremony was held to recognize outstanding organizations that promote the employment of people with disabilities. The event aimed to raise awareness in society about the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace. It also encouraged local governments to take proactive measures in promoting employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, the ceremony celebrated the victorious teams in the Job Accommodation Competition and recognized outstanding local governments, with a total of 50 individuals receiving accolades.

2023.11.26-30

The “WorldSkills Asia Abu Dhabi 2023” competition took place in the United Arab Emirates. Taiwan participated with a total of 21 national contenders in 20 youth categories, 8 national contenders in 7 junior categories, and 2 national contenders in 2 performance categories. They achieved outstanding results, winning a total of 12 gold medals, 6 silver medals, 4 bronze medals, and 3 honorable mentions, with Taiwan ranked first in Asia.

2023.11.24

The “2023 17th Construction Golden Safety Awards Recognition Ceremony” was held, presenting 2 High Distinction awards, 10 Excellence Awards, 23 Honorable Mention Awards, and 12 Outstanding Individual Awards. In addition to recognizing the outstanding performance of the award-winning project teams and personnel in construction industry safety and health, we also hope to enhance the safety and health standards in the construction industry through close collaboration among industry, government, and academia.

2023.11.16

The Bureau of Labor Funds of the MOL signed the “Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures” (TCFD) issued by the Financial Stability Board (FSB). Climate change is a global concern, and to align with international standards and demonstrate a commitment to addressing climate change, the MOL will continue to actively promote sustainability efforts based on TCFD recommendations and disclose them in our sustainability reports in the future.

2023.11.15

The “2023 Annual Award Ceremony of Excellent County and City Governments and Five Star Award Units for Occupational Safety and Health” was held to recognize the contributions of outstanding county and city governments and enterprises in actively promoting occupational safety and labor health and jointly creating a safe and healthy workplace environment. The event aimed to encourage the winning central government agencies, municipalities, and enterprises to continue fostering a culture of occupational safety and health and collaborate in creating a high-quality workplace environment.

2023.11.06

The awards ceremony for the “Promotion of Employment for Middle-aged and Elderly Workers and Outstanding Achievement in Intergenerational Collaboration, as well as the Job Accommodation Competition” was held to recognize 13 outstanding organizations and 3 outstanding individuals who have contributed to promoting employment for middle-aged and elderly workers. The event aims to increase public awareness and facilitate discussions on the issue of employment for middle-aged and elderly individuals. Additionally, it recognizes 10 winning teams in the job redesign competition for their creative solutions in redesigning roles for middle-aged and elderly workers.

2023.11.03

The Bureau of Labor Funds of the MOL conducted the 2023 First Domestic Discretionary Investment of Labor Pension Fund and National Pension Insurance Fund (relative return type). After a meticulous evaluation by the review panel of the business proposals and presentations submitted by bidding entities, six securities investment trust companies, namely Allianz, Mega International Investment Services, Manulife, Schroders, Nomura, and J.P. Morgan, have been selected, with each entity entrusted with an allocation of NT$12 billion. The Taiwan Stock Exchange Capitalization Weighted Stock Index serves as a reference benchmark with the aim of strengthening domestic entrusted core positions to participate in economic growth. It collaborates with absolute return mandates to construct diversified investment portfolios, thereby diversifying investment risks and enhancing fund returns.

2023.10.18

In line with the adjustment of the minimum wage, revisions to the “Monthly Contribution Classification of Labor Pension” were made, adding the 23rd tier with a monthly contribution salary/monthly contribution earned income of NT$27,470. These changes took effect on January 1, 2024.

2023.10.18

The Bureau of Labor Funds of the MOL established its “Sustainable Development Committee” tasked with promoting sustainable policies comprehensively. In line with international sustainable development trends, this initiative aims to implement sustainable governance policies. In the future, the committee will actively promote relevant actions in areas such as research, strategy, and execution related to sustainable development.

2023.10.16

Revisions made to the “Table of Grades of Labor Insurance Salary” and the “Insured Salary Category Chart of Labor Occupational Accident Insurance” have been announced and took effect on January 1, 2024.

2023.10.16

The “2023 National Occupational Safety and Health Award” ceremony was held, with Minister Hsu Ming-Chun presenting the award in person. Among them, three companies received the “Enterprise Benchmark Award”, two companies received the “Special Award for Small and Medium Enterprises”, one company received the “Special Award for Investment in Traditional Industries”, four companies received the “Special Award for Occupational Labor Health”, and two individuals received the “Individual Contribution Award”.

2023.10.13

Amendments to the “Review Standards and Employment Qualifications for Foreign Workers Engaging in Work Specified in Subparagraphs 8 to 11, Paragraph 1, Article 46 of the Employment Service Act” have been made to simplify the application process for foreign home caregivers and reduce the need for care recipients to travel back and forth to medical facilities for disability assessments. Additional provisions include the incorporation of three major categories for the diversified assessment of care recipients and the expansion of exemptions for rehiring without evaluation. Specifically, it relaxes evaluation requirements for former employers of home caregivers and care recipients who are 75 years of age or older, as well as those who hold a valid disability certificate, regardless of the annotation status. Additionally, the amendments aim to broaden the utilization of intermediate manpower by allowing those with more than six years of cumulative employment under the same employer to be eligible for mid-level technical positions. New opportunities in mid-level technical positions have been created, including general construction work, and the scope of eligible mid-level technical agricultural positions has been expanded to include forestry, livestock, and aquaculture, among others. These measures are intended to assist industries in addressing labor shortages and alleviate the burden on families caring for disabled individuals.

2023.10.13 / 2023.10.30

The MOL’s Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) organized a “Research Achievement Presentation” in both Kaohsiung and Taipei, with Minister Hsu Ming-Chun hosting the “High-Level Research Strategy Forum.” The event not only aimed to provide various sectors with insights into the latest trends in labor and occupational safety and health research, but also sought to broaden the understanding of labor rights and occupational safety and health to the broader public, promoting awareness of the significance of preventing occupational hazards to decrease workplace accidents. Through exchanges and engagements between government, industry, and academia, the event also aimed to promote integrated research projects to effectively address practical issues faced by workers and ensure labor rights and occupational safety and health.

2023.10.06

The MOL produced the “2023 Labor Hurray!” themed video, which received the prestigious “Best Long-Form Advertisement” Gold Award at the 32nd 4A Creative Awards Ceremony. This video, featuring a laborer engaged in the traditional craft of “paper offerings”, conveys the heartfelt message of the bond between a father and son. It stresses the idea that each occupation serves a purpose and merits respect, shedding light on the worth and importance of different careers that together contribute to our society. This acknowledgment underscores the fundamental value and significance of labor.

2023.10.04

The MOL and the Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety, and Health (ILOSH) hosted the “2023 International Research Collaboration Exchange Meeting between ILOSH and NIOSH.” The conference aimed to facilitate discussions on the application of smart technology in disaster reduction within the construction industry. Topics included U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's research projects in construction, direct-reading instruments and sensing technology, the use of robots for disaster mitigation in the construction industry, and the application of smart technology in disaster reduction and disaster prevention education and training.

2023.09.26

Certain provisions for the “Regulations on the Selection and Training of Professionals in Vocational Rehabilitation Services for People with Disabilities” were amended. These changes include relaxing the qualification requirements, professional training, and continuing education for vocational counselors, employment service personnel, and vocational rehabilitation case managers. The relevant amendments aim to encourage professionals to rejoin the field of vocational rehabilitation services and broaden the pool of talent in this field.

2023.09.23

Certain provisions for the “Regulations on the Selection and Training of Professionals in Vocational Rehabilitation Services for People with Disabilities” were amended. These changes include relaxing the qualification requirements, professional training, and continuing education for vocational counselors, employment service personnel, and vocational rehabilitation case managers. The relevant amendments aim to encourage professionals to rejoin the field of vocational rehabilitation services and broaden the pool of talent in this field.

2023.09.22

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH), in collaboration with relevant domestic industries and public associations, established the Underwater (Hyperbaric) Welding Teaching Materials Review Committee. The Committee completed the compilation of teaching materials for 12 underwater welding courses, totaling 24 hours, and also conducted the first professional training program for occupational underwater welders in Taiwan. All the participants obtained international qualifications as Class B welding divers, aligning with international standards.

2023.09.19

The “2023 Deepening the Concept of Labor - Campus Tour Event” kickoff ceremony and stage drama performance were held at Tainan Municipal Syuejia Elementary School. Through the performance of labor education stage drama, labor education concepts were conveyed to the students, allowing labor education to take root from a young age.

2023.09.19

The “Organization Regulations for the Establishment of the Committee on Gender Equality in Employment for the Council of Labor Affairs of the Executive Yuan” were amended. Certain provisions in these regulations will take effect from March 8, 2024.

2023.09.14

Announced amendments of the monthly minimum wage to NT$27,470 and the hourly minimum wage to NT$183, effective from Jan 1, 2024.

2023.09.11

The Bureau of Labor Funds of the MOL has announced the first domestic investment manager (relative return type) selection for the year 2023. In an effort to strengthen the core allocation of the fund, this selection uses the Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index as a reference benchmark. Through a passive management approach, the goal is to achieve returns from the Taiwan stock market at relatively lower costs, and will be part of a diversified investment portfolio alongside the absolute return type, aiming to diversify investment risks and enhance fund returns.

2023.09.08

The Bureau of Labor Funds of the MOL has carried out the investment manager selection process for the 2023 First Overseas Discretionary Investment of Labor Pension Fund and National Pension Insurance Fund issued by the Bureau of Labor Funds. This investment strategy tracks traditional market-value-based benchmark indices, ensuring a globally diversified approach to reduce specific regional and industry risks, and aims to achieve risk diversification with a focus on low-cost methods. Given the current global economic conditions, which include challenges like high interest rates, economic growth slowdown, and geopolitical risks, it is anticipated that market volatility will remain high. Therefore, by constructing a portfolio of global passive equities, this move strengthens the core allocation of the fund, with the aim of providing stable long-term returns.

2023.09.05

Amended and announced the “Promotion of On-Site Health Services Subsidy Program for Small and Medium Enterprises.” The amendments involve changes to the subsidy beneficiaries, subsidy criteria, and relevant application documents. The aim is to enhance the quality of on-site health services and the efficiency of the subsidy mechanism.

2023.09.04

To enhance the proactive matching of employers and migrant workers by public employment service agencies and provide bilingual services and employer transfer information, the Taoyuan, Hsinchu, and Miaoli Regional Branch of the Workforce Development Agency has established the “Employer and Foreign Worker Transfer Services Center” in Taoyuan. This center offers comprehensive services, including end-to-end support, job information, in-depth consultations, and appointment-based matching, to assist foreign workers in successfully transitioning to new employers or job positions.

2023.09.04

Amendments made to the “Regulations for Creating Employment Stability for Middle-Aged and Elderly Employees” to align with the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act. The amendments include revisions to the documents required for employers to apply for job redesign services and continued employment subsidies. Additionally, new regulations have been added regarding the industry-specific continuous employment rate and the maximum subsidy amount, which was announced separately.

2023.09.01

The “Women's Reemployment Program” for the years 2023-2026 has been established. This plan integrates resources from various government departments, including the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Education, to collectively promote a female-friendly workplace environment. Additionally, the program utilizes incentives such as self-training rewards, reemployment rewards, and employer working hours adjustment incentives, with the aim of encouraging women to re-enter the workforce.

2023.08.16

Amendments made to certain provisions of the “Act of Gender Equality in Employment.” Some provisions of this act became effective immediately upon promulgation, while the remaining provisions will come into effect on March 8, 2024.

2023.08.15

In response to the challenges posed by the aging population and declining birth rates in Taiwan, Premier Chen Chien-jen and Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-chun visited Chateau de Chine Kaohsiung, a hotel which has been recognized as an age-friendly employer. The official visit aimed to highlight the utilization of older workers and senior citizens in the workforce, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts between businesses and the government to create a friendly employment environment.

2023.08.08-10

The working-level meeting of the 10th Taiwan-Indonesia Labor Conference was held in Bali, Indonesia. It was jointly presided over by the Taiwanese delegation and Mr. Suhartono, Director General of Manpower Placement and Extension of Job Opportunity of the Ministry of Manpower, Indonesia. During this meeting, both sides actively promoted the “Long-term Retention and Utilization of Migrant Workers Program,” facilitating the transition of Indonesian migrant workers in Taiwan to middle-skilled technical positions and streamlining the application process, while also envisaging to expand the scope of direct hiring for caregiver services to include agency-hired caregivers. Additionally, the Indonesian side pledged to enhance pre-employment training programs for migrant workers, educating them on the prohibition of engaging in illegal work, how to prevent fraud, and guarding against criminal activities such as invading personal privacy and drug trafficking. They will also assess the need for establishing new health check and medical facilities in the Java region, prioritizing the recommendation of medical institutions that comply with Taiwanese standards and that have obtained Indonesian certification.

2023.07.24

The “Review and Fee Standards for Occupational Safety and Health Consultant Agencies” was formulated and announced. This document specifies the fee standards for matters such as applying for recognition or changes by legal entities or organizations. It became effective on August 1, 2023.

2023.07.14

Occupational safety and health facility observation and experiential activities were integrated with the 53rd National Skills Competition, focusing on high-risk machinery and equipment operations, including aerial work platforms, forklifts, and collaborative robots (cobots). These activities employed practical operations, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and other experiential teaching methods to enhance the awareness of occupational safety and health among workers. Vice President Lai Ching-te and Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-chun both highly commended these efforts.

2023.07.13-17

To encourage the learning of skills among citizens and in an effort to elevate the national vocational skill standards, the 53rd National Skills Competition was held in an expanded venue at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 1 and 2. This competition featured 68 different occupational categories in both the youth and adolescent groups, with a total of 1,181 contestants registering for the event.

2023.07.01-12.31

To ensure that operators in the three sectors of car freight transport, tourist bus, and city bus transport comply with traffic and labor-related laws and regulations, protect the labor rights of drivers, and ensure public safety, the Directorate General of Highways, MOTC and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in cooperation with relevant inspection units, carried out routine joint inspection programs in the second half of 2023. A list of 42 and 35 operators was selected, and these joint inspections were conducted by staff from motor vehicle offices (stations) under the Directorate General of Highways, MOTC, local labor inspection agencies, the labor departments of the respective direct municipalities and local governments, as well as the respective offices of the Bureau of Labor Insurance.

2023.07.01

The Bureau of Labor Insurance conducted the direct retrieval of salary data for the year 2023 based on tax and salary income information for the calculation of labor (employment and labor occupational accident insurance) insurance premiums and retirement pension contributions. The notifications and rosters for this direct retrieval were notified to the relevant units in June and July of the same year. Starting from the date of direct retrieval, insurance premiums for labor (employment and labor occupational accident insurance) insurance and retirement pension contributions are calculated based on the adjusted salary amounts.

2023.07.01

The implementation of the “First-Time Job Seeker Youth Stable Employment Program” aims to assist young job seekers in their first job search and those engaging in non-standard employment to enhance their preparedness in job searching, while also encouraging youth to actively seek employment and maintain stable jobs. The program is designed for Taiwanese nationals between the ages of 15 and 29 who are not currently enrolled in school and have been unemployed for 90 days or more. During their job search, participants receive a monthly allowance of NT$5,000, with a maximum allowance of NT$15,000. Additionally, if the person secures employment for a specified duration during their participation in the program, they will receive a job placement bonus. The total maximum amount that can be received through the Job Hunting Allowance and Employment Bonus is NT$45,000.

2023-06-30

In response to the impact of the current economic situation on labor, leading to reduced working hours under labor-employer agreements, the “Employment Insurance Promotion of Employment Implementation Regulations” were amended and promulgated to adjust the criteria for activating stable employment measures, the implementation period, eligibility criteria for applicants, and the standard of payments. The amendments aim to stabilize employment and reduce unemployment, such as by providing subsidies to make up for differences in partial wages during the period of reduced working hours.

2023-06.26-07.06

MOL Minister Hsu Ming-chun led a delegation to Europe to attend the 5th Taiwan-EU Labour Consultation. During the visit, the delegation also met with various organizations, including the Flemish Employment Services and Vocational Training Agency (VDAB), the Belgian National Labour Council, French parliamentarians, and representatives of Worldskills France. The parties exchanged views on dignified labor policies, vocational training, social dialogue, collective bargaining, and migrant worker policies, among other issues.

2023-06-16

The interest rate for the loan period for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Labor Insurance Insured Relief Loan was announced to be 1.973% per annum starting from the first business day in July 2023 (July 3, 2023).

2023-06-15

To support post-pandemic economic recovery and address the manpower needs in industries such as manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and alleviate the shortage of caregivers in care institutions, the MOL amended the “Review Standards and Employment Qualifications for Foreign Workers Engaging in Work Specified in Subparagraphs 8 to 11, Paragraph 1, Article 46 of the Employment Service Act”.

2023-06-13

The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) of the Ministry of Labor organized the “ASD-CBA Workshop: Best Practices for Enhancing Digital Health Care Skills”. The workshop featured special guest speakers, including Zhao Li, the Lead Shepherd of the APEC Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG), and Lyka S. Caritativo, the Philippine Representative Coordinator of the Capacity Building Network (CBN) of the APEC HRDWG. Furthermore, Amy Kardel, the Co-Chair of the APEC HRDWG CBN, also participated as a speaker and panelist. In addition to these distinguished guests, experts from the health care industry in the Asia-Pacific region and Taiwan were invited to share their best practices for enhancing digital health care skills through a combination of online and in-person discussions.

2023-06.05-06

The MOL organized the “2023 Labor Education Promotion Seminar - Union and Labor Director Activities”. The seminar covered courses on corporate social responsibility and corporate governance. As part of the seminar, participants visited Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corporation's Tainan Brewery to learn from the experiences and insights shared by the company and labor unions, thus providing a better understanding of the practical aspects of corporate governance and enhance the role and functions of labor directors in boardrooms. MOL Minister Hsu Ming-chun personally attended the seminar, where she provided an overview of current labor policies to the labor directors and their affiliated union chairpersons. She also expressed her gratitude to the labor directors for their dedication in safeguarding workers' rights and interests.

2023-06-05

The Executive Yuan approved the “Post-Epidemic Improvement of Labor Shortages and Employment Expansion Program,” which focuses on industries affected by the epidemic and suffering from labor shortages after the epidemic by deploying employment incentives and training-related resources to encourage citizens to work in industries with labor shortages, and provides counseling and resources by the competent authorities overseeing the subject industry to help improve work methods, enhance labor conditions, and promote the upgrading and restructuring of the industry.

2023-05-30

The 22nd Taiwan-Thailand Labor Committee Meeting was held at the Grand Mayfull Hotel Taipei. The conference was jointly chaired by Director-General Tsai Meng-liang of the Workforce Development Agency and Phairoj Chotikasatien, the Director-General of the Department of Employment of the Ministry of Labor of Thailand. Both sides discussed key labor cooperation issues of mutual concern and reached several agreements during the meeting. One of the key issues addressed was the reinforcement of prevention and investigation of illegal activities using online channels. Taiwan agreed to assist employers and migrant labor agencies in enhancing dormitory and bilingual personnel management to prevent illegal activities. On the other hand, Thailand committed to strengthening pre-employment training for migrant workers by emphasizing the prohibition of planting, purchasing, selling, and using marijuana in Taiwan. Thailand also pledged to report any information provided by migrant workers about suspicious drug-related activities for follow-up investigation by Taiwanese law enforcement agencies.

2023-05-25

In response to the “construction site tower crane dismantling operations accident that caused a boom to crash and collide with the Taichung Metro tracks”, the MOL initiated a comprehensive labor inspection of major projects adjacent to rail lines and large-scale engineering projects requiring the use of tower cranes. A total of 38 sites were inspected (7 projects adjacent to rail lines, 38 major projects with tower crane operations). A total of 159 violation items were identified, with work suspension orders issued at 18 places, and fines totaling NT$5.5 million imposed.

2023-05.23-24

2023 The MOL organized the 2nd Labor Policy and Occupational Safety and Health Conference between Taiwan and Belgium. The conference kicked off with an opening address delivered by Deputy Minister Lee Chun-yi of the MOL. In addition, researchers from the HIVA Research Institute for Work and Society at KU Leuven, Belgium, and experts and scholars from related fields were invited to exchange ideas on topics such as net-zero transition, labor, and occupational safety and health.

2023-05-18

In response to amendments made to Article 58 of the “Employment Service Act,” the MOL announced on May 10, 2023, that the waiting period for substituting missing migrant workers has been shortened. As a result, amendments have been made to the “Regulations on the Permission and Administration of the Employment of Foreign Workers” and the “Review Standards and Employment Qualifications for Foreign Workers Engaging in Work Specified in Subparagraphs 8 to 11, Paragraph 1, Article 46 of the Employment Service Act”.

2023-05-10

The Executive Yuan approved the “Youth Employment Investment Program (Phase 2),” which aims to empower young people in their career development through interministry and interagency collaborative efforts. The program aims to foster and guide young people to engage in key industries, build up professional skills, and secure stable employment opportunities.

2023-05-08

The Bureau of Labor Funds of the Ministry of Labor announced on its official website the launch of the “Global Passive Equity Foreign Investment Mandate Evaluation”. This strategy adopts a traditional market-cap-weighted index design, aiming to achieve cost efficiency and risk diversification through relatively low management fees and a globally diversified allocation. The goal is to strengthen the core asset allocation of the fund and enhance long-term investment returns.

2023-05-08

The “Construction Industry Occupational Safety and Health Management Summit” was held, with Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-chun, the Director-General of the Construction and Planning Agency of the Ministry of the Interior, the chairman of the Construction Investment Associations, senior executives from real estate development companies, construction firms, and related industry groups jointly declaring a disaster reduction commitment and pledging to safeguard the occupational safety of the construction workplace.

2023-05-01

Amendments were made to Article 9 of the “Regulations of Leave-Taking of Workers” to clearly stipulate that if a worker has a miscarriage within the first three months of pregnancy and takes sick leave instead of maternity leave, the employer shall not deduct any attendance bonuses as a result.

2023-05-01

The “Employment Promotion Program for Middle-aged and Elderly Workers” (2023-2025) was formulated, integrating resources from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Education, Veterans Affairs Council, Hakka Affairs Council, Council of Agriculture, and Council of Indigenous Peoples. These departments and agencies are working closely together to develop employment opportunities for middle-aged and elderly workers.

2023-04-30

In line with the “Strengthening the Prevention, Inspection, and Penalty Mechanism for Employers with False Applications for Hiring Migrant Workers” inspection plan, the Ministry of Labor and the competent labor authorities of special municipalities and counties and municipalities carried out a joint audit by prioritizing the screening of several categories of employers. Those include employers who have previously made false employee enrollments in labor insurance coverage and are now subject to supervision while currently employing migrant workers, employers with low capital, employers with abnormal patterns of subscriptions or suspensions from labor insurance, as well as the top three migrant labor agencies who have undertaken the hiring of migrant workers by the aforementioned high-risk employers.

2023-04-27

To commemorate Labor Day, the MOL held the “2023 Labor Day and National Model Worker Award Ceremony” at the Sheraton Grand Taipei on April 27, 2023 to recognize the efforts and contributions of workers (including migrant workers) to national development, society, and the economy.

2023-04-26

The MOL held the “National Workplace Safety and Health Week” declaration event, inviting Chairman Chiang Chien-Hsin of the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions, Vice Chairman Lin Ming-ru of the Chinese National Federation of Industries, and representatives from the top 100 largest domestic enterprises to attend. The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of occupational safety and health for businesses, workers, and the general public.

2023-04-24

The MOL announced the adjustment of the amount of labor insurance annuities from May 2023 for those who applied for labor insurance annuities in 2011, 2012, 2016 to 2018 in accordance with the law because the cumulative growth rate of the consumer price index has reached the statutory adjustment standard. As of June 29, 2023, there were over 660,000 beneficiaries of labor insurance pensions and 807 beneficiaries of labor occupational accident insurance.

2023-04-20

In response to the discontinuation of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics (DGBAS), Article 4 of the “Regulations for the Deliberation of Basic Wage” was revised.

2023-04.20-23

The MOL co-organized the “2023 International Conference on Occupational Hygiene and Occupational Medicine” with occupational health and medical professional associations, bringing together experts and scholars from industry, government, academia, as well as international experts from the United States, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, and other countries. Minister Hsu Ming-chun personally met with the international attendees to exchange ideas and share experiences on promoting sustainable health in the workplace, fostering mutual learning, and strengthening Taiwan’s occupational safety and health standards to enhance international visibility.

2023-03-28

The “Employment Insurance Implementation Regulations for Promoting Employment” were amended and published to promote the employment of middle-aged and elderly people, and to assist workers affected by natural disasters, accidents or other major events to find employment, and to strengthen the ability of the labor union to protect the employment rights of workers by adding relevant employment promotion measures to enhance labor participation and assist workers to find employment.

2023-03-28

Amendments to the “Guidelines for Improving Working Environments and Promoting the Physical and Mental Health of Employees in Business Units” were made and promulgated. In order to optimize the effectiveness of the improvement efforts, the regulations governing the recipients of the subsidies, the amount of the subsidies, and the application procedures were amended, and the related forms were also revised.

2023-03-27

The Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee of the Legislative Yuan visited Tsz-You and Tsz-Yu Sheltered Workshops and the New Taipei City Vocational Rehabilitation Service Center for the Physically and Mentally Disabled to learn about the implementation of vocational rehabilitation services and to exchange views on the development of vocational rehabilitation services for the physically and mentally disabled after the visit.

2023-03-24

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health and the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) jointly organized the 1st Taiwan-Europe International Cooperation and Research Exchange Conference (video conference), which focused on the issues of the Taiwan-Europe Working Conditions Survey, including the arrangement of the implementation schedule, the design of the questionnaire and the presentation of the survey results.

2023-03-22

The research results of the Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor, “Forklift Driving Evaluation Simulation System”, completed the technology transfer to Pumpkin VR Tech Co., Ltd.

2023-03-22

The research results of the Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health, “Occupational Safety VR Digital Education Training,” were completed and transferred to the Industrial Safety and Health Association of the Republic of China.

2023-03-20~25

The 10th International Abilympics Competition was held in Metz, France, and Taiwan sent 28 national champions in 26 categories to participate in the competition. The flag presentation ceremony was held at Novotel Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, where the President of the Executive Yuan Chen Chien-jen and Minister Hsu Ming-chun presented the flag. A total of 8 gold, 9 silver and 3 bronze medals were won in this year's competition.

2023-03-20

The “Technician Skills Certification Traditional Medicine Foot Massage Job Category Specification” was formulated and published to meet the Ministry of Health and Welfare's decision to adopt skills certification for foot massage personnel in the traditional medicine sector.

2023-03-17

According to the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), starting from March 20, 2023, people with mild or no symptoms who test positive do not need to be notified or isolated. The MOL thereby issued a letter to the Ministry of Health and Welfare stating that from now on, those who are diagnosed with COVID-19 and have been hospitalized will be able to claim injury and illness benefits in accordance with Article 33 of the Labor Insurance Act.

2023-03-16

The interpretation order stipulating that “Employers shall not withhold full time bonuses from workers who tested positive in the new at-home coronavirus antigen screening test and who are on general injury or sick leave for five days from the day of the positive test and the following day” was issued and became effective on March 20, 2023.

2023-03-13~15

Organized the 2023 National Occupational Safety and Health and Labor Inspection Working Report and Labor Inspection Agency Performance Evaluation, and conducted labor inspection agency performance evaluation at the meeting. After the evaluation by the Evaluation Committee, Vice Minister Lee Chun-yi delivered a lecture and presented awards to the units with outstanding performance and excellent labor inspectors.

2023-03-13

In order to solve the shortage of workers in the slaughterhouse sector and retain the demand for experienced foreigners, the regulations of “Qualifications and Criteria Standards for Foreigners Undertaking the Jobs Specified under Article 46, Paragraph 1, Subsections 8 to 11 of the Employment Service Act” and “Regulations on the Permission and Administration of the Employment of Foreign Workers” were amended to allow for mid-level technical jobs in the slaughterhouse sector. The amendments also relaxed the qualifications for employers to apply for hiring foreigners to work as mid-level skilled domestic care workers, adjusted the rules for calculating the total number of employers hiring mid-level skilled workers, and adopted corporate self-training as a condition for mid-level skills.

2023-03.13-04.14

To demonstrate the determination to defend labor rights and interests, Minister Hsu Ming-chun personally attended the opening ceremony of the “44th Labor Inspector Pre-Service Training” for new members of labor inspection agencies across Taiwan. During the training, she encouraged the inspectors to be courageous in their duties and hoped that they would continuously enhance their professional knowledge, maintain integrity, and work together to fight for the rights and welfare of workers.

2023-02-23

NT$45 billion was allocated to the Labor Insurance Fund to replenish the Fund's income.

2023-02-22

The MOL held the “Ministry of Labor Relocation Ceremony” at the permanent office of the Ministry of Labor, the Chih Ching Building. Many distinguished guests, including President Chen Chien-jen of the Executive Yuan, President Chen Chu of the Control Yuan, and representatives of labor and employment organizations, gathered to witness and kickstart a new milestone for the Ministry of Labor's services.

2023-02-21

Amended and published Article 3 and Article 6 of the “Medical Institution Accreditation and Examination Fees for Medical Examination of Workers”, to add new categories of special medical examination and health examination of workers with abnormal air pressure in accordance with Article 7 of the “Regulations for Medical Institution Accreditation and Management of Medical Examination of Workers”, and review the changes of accreditation and system management costs, and adjusted the fee items and benchmarks accordingly.

2023-02-15

The ILOSH of the MOL held the “International Standard BS EN 14208 for High-pressure Gas Containers Inspection Standards of Suitability Analysis”. OSHA has announced the approval of “EN 14208” as the standard for the inspection of anhydrous hydrogen chloride high pressure gas containers.

2023-02-09

In order to ensure the rights and interests of workers to receive wages, the “Guiding Principles for Wage Payments and Agreements between Employees and Labor” were published.

2023-02-09

An announcement and interpretation were issued to clarify the situation on private institutions (organizations) who have violated the quota allocation regulations “without justifiable reasons” as stated in Article 96, Paragraph 2 of the People with Disabilities Rights Protection Act.The aim was to actively assist local governments in implementing counseling for units that have not fully hired the required quotas and to impose legal penalties on units that violate the quota allocation obligations without justifiable reasons, so as to urge the obligated units to completely fulfill the quota required.

2023-02-05~10

The Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the MOL, Mr. Tsou Tzu-lien, visited the management of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), offshore wind power-related business units and occupational safety and health organizations in the United Kingdom, and met with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to deepen exchanges between Taiwan and the United Kingdom and promote cooperation in occupational safety and health and labor protection.

2022-12-27~2023-02-05

The MOL organized the 2023 “Spring Security Period Labor Inspection Enhancement Implementation Plan” to urge establishments to strengthen disaster prevention in high-risk operations and comply with the relevant regulations on overwork prevention. During this period, 9,241 establishments were inspected, 296 work suspension orders were issued, 965 fines were imposed, and the total amount in fines was NT$65.38 million.

2023-01-30

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the MOL developed a prototype device for smart construction site hoisting safety control and completed the technology transfer of “Smart Image Recognition Crane Hoisting Safety Control Monitoring System” to Earth Power Construction Co., Ltd.

2023-01-10

Counseled Penghu Huimin Hospital to become the first occupational injury and disease clinic network hospital in the offshore islands, declaring the commitment to jointly protect the physical and mental health of workers in the offshore islands.

2022-12-26~2023-01-07

Launched the “2023 Labor Insurance Insured Relief Loan” for the period from December 26, 2022 to January 7, 2023. A total of 117,407 workers applied for the relief loan, with a total application amount of NT$11.715 billion.

2023-01-06

The “University Youth Pre-employment Program” was announced and launched at an MOL news conference. The program is designed to encourage key industries to first hire young people who have graduated from colleges and universities one year prior to their graduation for practical workplace training. The program also subsidizes the training expenses of enterprises and rewards young people to stay in enterprises in order to fully connect with the job market. At the same time, the “Subsidized University Employment Program” was revised and published, and the workplace experience course was adjusted to a workplace training course, combined with the training system for pre-employment of university students by enterprises, and incorporated into the key employability course of the Workforce Development Agency of the MOL, in order to enhance the employment knowledge, skills and attitudes of university youth.

2023-01-01

The MOL's One-Stop Service Center for Migrant Workers was officially launched to provide training services for newly hired migrant domestic workers entering Taiwan. After completing the training service, the migrant domestic workers will be able to obtain the necessary documents to work in Taiwan and join social insurance.

2023-01-01

The basic wage was adjusted from NT$25,250 to NT$26,400, and the “Table of Grades of Insured Salary” and the “Table of Grades of Labor Occupational Accident Insurance Salary” were revised and entered effect accordingly. For the sake of administrative efficiency and convenience and to protect the rights and interests of the insured, the insured's salary was adjusted to NT$26,400 from now on for those full-time insured whose salary is less than NT$26,400 and for all insured whose monthly salary is $25,250 or below. The monthly contribution to the Labor Pension Fund of NT$25,250 for full-time workers was also correspondingly adjusted to NT$26,400.

2022-12-20

The Bureau of Labor Insurance of the MOL announced the implementation of the “2023 Labor Insurance Insured Relief Loan” The maximum loan amount for each eligible applicant is NT$100,000, and the application period is from Dec. 26, 2022 to Jan. 7, 2023.

2022-12-18~23

To strengthen exchanges on labor affairs between Taiwan and the U.S., the MOL invited a delegation of U.S. Federal Government labor officials to visit Taiwan, and arranged meetings with the MOL and its affiliated agencies (organizations), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the American Institute in Taiwan during the visit. The Ministry also organized the “Taiwan-U.S. Labor Affairs Symposium”, inviting experts and scholars in related fields to discuss labor relations and dispute handling system, as well as the current situation and future outlook of occupational safety and health, all of which are conducive to continued collaboration on labor affairs between Taiwan and the U.S., and to deepen the cooperative relationship and expand the exchange opportunities.

2022-12-16

In response to the Central Bank's raising of interest rates by 12.5 basis points, the interest rate of the “Worker Relief Loan” was raised from 2.095% to 2.22%. In order to take care of economically disadvantaged workers, the MOL fully subsidized the corresponding increase in interest rates for mortgages.

2022-12-12

The Taiwan delegation to the WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition met with President Tsai Ing-wen, demonstrating the importance that Taiwan attaches to the cultivation of skilled personnel. In addition, the delegation of WorldSkills Competition 2022 Special Edition was presented with a speech by the President of the Executive Yuan to recognize Taiwan’s outstanding talents, judges, instructors, interpreters, and sponsors.

2022-12-05

The Bureau of Labor Insurance’s e-service system has added the function of applying for the monthly labor pension. Workers with at least 15 years of accumulative contributions may apply online for a monthly pension.

2022-12-01

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the Ministry of Labor and the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior jointly held the “Practical Sharing and Observation Meeting on the Promotion Model of Occupational Safety and Health Management System for Fire Agencies”, the first occupational safety and health management system for fire agencies, to safeguard the occupational safety and health of firefighting personnel.

2022-11-30

Article 45 of the Labor Union Act was amended and promulgated to increase the amount of fines for cases where an employer or a person exercising management rights on behalf of the employer affects or obstructs the operation and autonomy of a trade union by improper labor practices, and to add penalties that affect the reputation of the employer such as publishing the name of the offending employer, effective January 16, 2023.

2022-11-23

The 2022 National Talent Development Awards ceremony was held at the Regent Taipei to encourage units to enhance the overall effect of talent development. Fifteen award-winning units were publicly recognized, and Minister without Portfolio Lin Wan-I and Minister Hsu Ming-Chun of the Executive Yuan attended the ceremony and delivered addresses. The award recipients have demonstrated outstanding performance in the areas of integrity, stability, performance linkage and innovation of the talent development system.

2022-11-18

Minister Hsu Ming-Chun led the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Center for Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation to inspect the Labor Health Service Center in the Southern District (commissioned to National Cheng Kung University), hoping to combine the professional capacity of the public and private sectors to improve and popularize the resources of labor health professional services in Taiwan.

2022-11-17

The 2022 Golden Safety Award Presentation Ceremony was held, with one project of distinction, 11 projects of excellence, 18 projects of merit, 5 persons of merit and 7 persons of Grade A awarded.

2022-11-16

The award presentation ceremony was held to recognize and encourage units and practitioners who are committed to assisting the middle-aged and the elderly in their employment.Twelve outstanding units and 3 outstanding individuals were awarded and recognized.

2022-11-10

The Workforce Development Agency of the MOL signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Public Employment Services and Vocational Training with the Forem the Public Service for Employment and Vocational Training in Wallonia (Belgium), hoping to promote the linkage between Forem and the MOL’s employment services and training institutions through the MOU cooperation framework. The aims are to foster cooperation and exchange of new knowledge and technology related to labor force development, and to strengthen cooperation in establishing employment services and vocational training with key European countries.

2022-11-09

The “2022 International Conference on Sustainable Health and Safety in the Workplace” invited Kathy Seabrook, a member of the GRI 403 Technical Group on Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines, to deliver an online presentation and join the discussion forum. For the first time, the occupational health and safety performance disclosed in the sustainability reports of the “electronics” and “financial insurance” industries were evaluated to recognize the top 10% of the 29 top-performing companies.

2022-11-04

Formulated “Key Points for Selection of Labor Education Professionals”, to establish a system for the selection of labor education professionals and to foster the promotion of labor education.

2022-10--31

To recognize and encourage workplace-friendly measures of enterprises, the MOL organized the “2022 Work-Life Balance Award” to recognize outstanding enterprises, and to explore innovative measures in “flexible work”, “family-friendly” and “employee care”, so as to encourage more enterprises to respond to the promotional campaign.

2022-10-28

Announced an interpretation of Article 30, Article 30-1, Article 32, Article 34 and Article 36 of the Labor Standards Act, which stipulate that if the employer has the consent of the labor union or, in the case of an enterprise without a labor union, the consent of the labor-management meeting, the employer shall be deemed to have the consent of the labor-management meeting if the number of workers employed by the employer is less than three and the consent of individual workers has been obtained.

2022-10-25

Amended and announced the “Small Enterprises Talent Skill Progressive Program”. Considering that most small businesses are constrained by factors such as labor and financial resources, and still have the need for the government to allocate and provide training resources, it was proposed to remove the requirement of the duration limit for the program while considering the limited resources of the government to avoid businesses over-relying on resources. Therefore, the maximum approved training expenses for each year from the fourth year onward will be adjusted to the rate of the average approved training expenses for the previous three years, and the approved quota of training expenses will be reduced year by year.

2022-10-13~15

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the Ministry of Labor exhibited a number of patented R&D achievements in the Sustainable Development Pavilion and Patent Competition Area of the Taiwan Innotech Expo, including “Multifunctional Agricultural Aids”, “Forklift Driving Evaluation Simulation System” and “Volatile Organic Substance Filter Breakage Detection Warning Device”, which not only enable workers to work with peace of mind and improve production efficiency, but also enable enterprises to operate sustainably.

2022-10-12

The kick-off ceremony of the “2022 Annual Deepening of Labor Concept - Campus Tour Train Activity“ was held at Beigang Senior High School in Yunlin County, with well-known singer Shennio Lin as this year's campus labor ambassador, and MOL Department of Employment Relations Director Wang Hou-wei and Principal Chiang Yao-Chi of the school joined the kick-off ceremony to promote the correct concept of labor to young students.

2022-10-10

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) visited the European Foundation for the Improvement of Quality of Life and Labor Conditions (Eurofound) in Ireland to discuss the feasibility of participating in the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). Eurofound subsequently agreed for ILOSH to participate in the international EWCS program on a regular basis for five years, with the ILOSH hoping to effectively enhance the visibility and exposure of the MOL internationally.

2022-10-05

The MOL and the Ministry of Justice jointly organized the “2022 Corporate Integrity Forum”, in addition to inviting Managing Director Lai Chia-Yi of NEC Taiwan Ltd. to deliver a speech on the topic of “Building an Integrity Business Starting from Occupational Safety”. Two experts from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) and Health Agency and Safe Work Australia, Tim Tregenza and Dianah Brown, were invited to deliver a pre-recorded presentation on the emerging issue of occupational safety and health of international concern - “Workplace Violence Prevention”. In addition, domestic experts were invited to discuss the practical experience of taking care of both corporate integrity and three key issues of labor safety (secure work, safe workplace and safe labor) through the two seminars.

2022-09-30

Announced amendments of the scope of application of proviso 2 of Article 34 of the Labor Standards Act to add that "partial shift workers of 10 companies" are subject to the proviso of Article 34, Paragraph 2 of the Labor Standards Act during the period of natural disasters, accidents or emergencies or during the period of shift adjustment by mutual agreement between employees and employers, as well as shift workers in the manufacturing, wholesale, general merchandise retailing and warehousing industries from October 1, 2022 to December 31 of the same year.

2022-09-28

The Bureau of Labor Funds of the MOL conducted a public solicitation for the first domestic investment (absolute return type) mandate by the new and old labor pension funds in 2022. In order to implement a sustainable investment strategy, the mandate targets listed companies that prepare ESG reports as investment targets, with a view to generating long-term stable profits.

2022-09-28

Amended and announced the “Regulations for Implementing and Rewarding Skill Competitions”. To encourage young people to improve their skills, the “Regulations for Implementing and Rewarding Skill Competitions” were amended to increase the scholarship for the first-place team trained to participate in youth and international competitions. Furthermore, to protect the national image and reputation, new regulations were added for athletes representing the country, national judges and coaches in case of misconduct that may damage the national image and reputation.

2022-09-23

The MOL conducted the 2nd Taiwan-U.S. Collective Bargaining Talent Training Seminar by video conference with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) of the U.S. Government. The opening remarks were delivered by FMCS Director nominee Javier Ramirez, AIT Economic Section Chief Rashad Jones, and MOL Vice Minister Chen Ming-Jen. During the meeting, FMCS senior mediators shared mediation skills and methods, including how to leverage different meeting modes such as joint meetings, individual meetings and side-meetings at different stages of negotiation to help both sides negotiate a common agreement. They also shared specific suggestions on how to break through deadlocks. Through the exchange of experience between Taiwan and the U.S., the seminar enhanced the mediation capabilities of government agency administrators and mediators facing collective bargaining disputes.

2022-09-22

In response to the Central Bank's raising of interest rates by 12.5 basis points, the interest rate of the "Worker Relief Loan" was raised from 1.97% to 2.095%. In order to take care of economically disadvantaged workers, the MOL fully subsidized the corresponding increase in interest rates for mortgages.

2022-09-21

Minister Hsu Ming-Chun visited the Bureau of Labor Insurance's Yunlin office and officiated at the opening of the new office with director Chen Juan. In addition to additional service counters and friendly barrier-free facilities, the new location is spacious and bright, which is expected to provide a comfortable environment for Yunlin locals to enhance local services.

2022-09-20

The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) of the MOL organized the "APEC ASD-CBA Workshop: Best Practices for Empowering the Health Workforce through Digital Upskilling". The opening speech was delivered by Tsai Meng-Liang, Director General of the WDA. Experts from APEC economies and domestic and foreign health care industries were invited to share their best-case studies and innovative approaches on how to integrate digital skills and cultivate cross-disciplinary talents to promote digital transformation in the health care field through a hybrid online and physical event.

2022-09-19

Issued temp worker allowance subsidies to activate natural disasters in response to the September 18, 2022 earthquake in eastern Taiwan. A temporary work allowance of NT$168 per hour per person (up to NT$25,250 per month) was provided for a total of 1,000 temp worker quotas in Hualien and Taitung counties to assist in the reconstruction of homes in the two disaster-hit areas, for a total of 2 months.

2022-09-15

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health held the 2022 Online Presentation of Research Results. During the epidemic period, the ILOSH leveraged the power of the Internet to deliver the results of labor and occupational safety and health research to workers and occupational safety and health personnel more quickly and easily.

2022-09-14

Announced amendments of the monthly minimum wage to NT$26,400 and the hourly minimum wage to NT$176, effective from Jan 1, 2023.

2022-09-14

Amended the "High-Pressure Gas Operations Labor Safety Rules," specifying that business establishments including factories using barrel gas supply in tandem should follow relevant safety regulations to avoid fire and explosion accidents endangering workers. A one-year buffer period was provided for businesses to implement improvement measures, with the amendments coming into effect on September 14, 2023.

2022-09-12~14

Organized the 2022 National Occupational Safety and Health and Labor Inspection Working Report and Labor Inspection Agency Performance Evaluation. Minister Hsu Ming-Chun attended the event to encourage and award top-performing units and excellent labor inspectors.

2022-09-08

The e-Services system of the Bureau of Labor Insurance of the MOL was revamped to improve the ease of use, convenience and security of the website. The updated website was developed with a Responsive Web Design (RWD) approach and incorporates a multi-certificate authentication mechanism. The new version of the e-Services system, "Personal Internet Trial Calculations, Inquiry and Application Operations," went live today. Members of the public can use their mobile phone authentication mechanism to log in.

2022-09-07

Amended and announced the "Implementation Guidelines for the Ministry of Labor's Incentives to Labor Unions to Sign Collective Agreements", stipulating that labor unions can assist and counsel other trade unions to sign collective agreements, and are eligible to apply for incentives rewards. The amount of the incentive for the union or union federation that has signed a collective agreement is amended to a maximum of NT$50,000.

2022-09-03

Organized the "Respect! The Light of Progress. The 20th Anniversary Concert of the Act of Gender Equality in Employment"

2022-09-01

Vice President Lai Ching-Te attended the 46th WorldSkills Competition Flag Presentation Ceremony to express his encouragement.

2022-08-31

In line with the implementation of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, the occupational accident insurance was separated from labor insurance, and the provisions of “Form of Application for Work for Applicants to Whom Article 45 of the Labor Standards Act on the Basis of Determination Criteria, Review Procedures for Determining the Nature and Environment of Work That Will Not Do Any Harm to the Worker's Mental and Physical Health is applicable” is amended with immediate effect.

2022-08-30

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health of the MOL was invited by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of Malaysia to deliver a presentation on "Occupational Safety and Health Intervention Counseling in Manufacture of Fabricated Metal Products Industry" at the 23rd International Conference and Exhibition on Occupational Safety and Health (COSH 2022).

2022-08-30

Amended the "Guidelines for Safety and Health of Food Delivery Operations" to expand the protection of delivery operations in response to the gradual diversification of goods delivered by delivery platform operators to include fresh produce and grocery items, not limited to just food.

2022-08-23

Amended and released the "Corporate Human Resources Enhancement Plan", and relaxed the applicable targets from legal entities (juridical persons) to private business institutions, non-profit corporations or organizations. In addition, in order to encourage enterprises to assign middle-aged and senior workers to participate in training and to take into account the need to simplify the administrative process of enterprises, the relevant regulations have been revised and the training subsidy fees have been increased. Furthermore, considering that enterprises have the need to nurture related talents when upgrading and transforming the organization, new conditions for priority approval of training programs have been added.

2022-08-17

The MOL issued a circular letter stating that as of January 1, 2023, Article 84-1 of the Labor Standards Act will no longer be applicable to outsourced drivers of top executives, directors, supervisors, and staff of business enterprises who have been assigned with company vehicles.

2022-08-16

In response to the continuing impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the job market, the "2022 Youth Job Search Subsidy Program" was launched to encourage fresh graduates to actively seek employment, and to provide financial support and enhanced counseling to help young people find gainful employment.

2022-08-12

Amended the "Regulations on the Accreditation and Management of Medical Institutions for Medical Examination of Workers" to add (amend) that accredited medical institutions shall establish quality and management plans for labor health examinations, specifically for biological detection items such as lead in urine. It is also stipulated that valid certification should be obtained from a third-party certification body to strengthen the quality and supervision and management mechanism of labor physical and health examination.

2022-08-12

Amended the "Occupational Safety and Health Facilities Regulations" to strengthen practices for occupational safety and health facilities in business establishments, improve disaster prevention in workplaces, enhance the safety protection mechanism for workplace power machinery and self-constructed roads, and expand the protection of delivery staff work patterns.

2022-08-12

In order to comply with the amendment of Article 58 of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act and Article 12 of the Act of Assistance for Family in Hardship, it is announced that the eligibility age for applying for business start-up loan subsidy under the "Domestic Violence Victims' Business Start-up Loan Subsidy Act" and the "Family in Hardship Business Start-up Loan Subsidy Act" will be adulthood, while the conditions for applying for interest subsidies, and the method of calculating interest subsidies were also announced.

2022-08-11

Formulated a "Labor Education Promotion Outline" and combined the resources of ten ministries and local governments to target current students at all levels of education and those who wish to work but are not yet employed (including those who have been discharged from military service, the unemployed, and those who have dropped out of school), those currently employed and transitioning jobs, employers, owners and key managers. 26 measures are adopted to promote labor education in order to achieve the goal of raising overall national labor awareness.

2022-08-11

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor (ILOSH) was interviewed by James Baron, a reporter for Taiwan Business TOPICS, the official magazine of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan, on the topic of "work stress", explaining the ILOSH's efforts to develop various corporate assessment tools for reference by enterprises in recent years. It includes an "Employee Assistance Program Needs Assessment Form", a "Work-Life Balance Atmosphere Assessment Form" and a "Workplace Mental Health Assessment Form", and a practical guide has been compiled for reference of HR staff, OSHA staff, occupational nurses and workplace mental health managers of enterprises.

2022-08-11

Amended the "Working Rules Reference Handbook", and published on MOL’s website for public access and reference.

2022-08-10

From August 10, 2022, the monthly salary of newly employed and contract-renewed domestic migrant workers will be adjusted to NT$20,000, while also providing low-income and low-middle income employers who hire migrant workers with a monthly salary subsidy of NT$3,000 for a maximum of 3 years. Other employers are also eligible to receive a monthly subsidy of NT$1,500 until the end of the year, for a maximum of four months.

2022-08-09~10-20

In order to strengthen the promotion of the Bureau of Labor Insurance’s online application services, a total of 28 “Labor Insurance Online Application Operation Explanation Sessions” were held in Taipei, Yilan, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Changhua, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, and virtually (26 physical sessions and 2 virtual sessions).

2022-07-31

Organized the 52nd National Skills Competition for 56 categories in the youth group and 12 categories in the junior group.

2022-07-29

Announced the abolishment of the application of Article 84-1 of the Labor Standards Act to "Professional Photographers and News Van Drivers accompanying the mayor of the Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government" and "Liaison Staff of Government Corporations Listed in the Legislative Yuan".

2022-07-26

Announcement of "Guidelines for the Competent Authority to Handle Labor Dispute Mediation by Video Conference", stipulating that the local labor administration authorities may, depending on the circumstances of the case, handle the mediation and reconciliation of labor disputes by means of remote video conference after the consent of both employers and employees, so as to facilitate the fight by workers for their rights in a timely manner.

2022-07-13~20

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health of the MOLorganized a functional course on "Training on the Necessary Competencies of the Formwork Support and Evaluation System". The "BIM in Formwork Support Practical Application Functional Training" is a 12-hour professional training course focusing on topics such as enhancing construction safety of formwork support operations and preventing occupational accidents.

2022-07-07

The MOL announced that in order to assist the insured and those insured with occupational unions who are affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, the Bureau of Labor Insurance of the MOL provides assistance with the payment of insurance premiums for labor insurance, labor occupational accident insurance, employment insurance and employer contributions to labor pensions. From July 11, 2022 to January 3, 2023, those eligible may apply to the Bureau of Labor Insurance for a 6-month deferment period. The deferment period is from May to October of 2022, for a total of 6 months, and the payment may be deferred for six months from the date of expiration of the grace period (payment deadline) without incurring any penalties.

2022-07-01

The interest rate for the loan period for the 2020, 2021 and 2022 Labor Insurance Insured Relief Loan was announced to be 1.405% per annum starting from the first business day in July 2022.

2022-06-27

Amended and promulgated the "Common Principle of Calculation of Fines for Violations of Labor Standards Act", Point 4, which took effect on August 1, 2022.

2022-06-24

The Workforce Development Agency (WDA), MOL organized the "Women’s Economic Empowering, New Media Digital Upskilling (WEDU) Seminar" through video conference. WDA Director-General Tsai Meng-Liang, APEC Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) Lead Shepherd Prof. Dong Sun Park, APEC Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) Chair Renee Graham, and APEC HRDWG Capacity Building Network (CBN) Coordinator Rosanna Urdaneta delivered opening remarks. Dialogues between representatives of APEC economies and experts from the industry, government, academia, and research analyzed cross-disciplinary trends of integrating gender awareness into digital marketing and officially launched the preparatory work for the "Training Package of Gender Power in Online Marketing" in August. The MOL also strove to consolidate the resources of domestic and foreign public and private partners to jointly guide trainees to pass the "iCAP Certificate for Competency-Based Training Program" assessment indicators and obtain the "International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL)" online certification for digital marketing.

2022-06-17

In response to the Central Bank's interest rates hike by 12.5 basis points, the interest rate of the "Worker Relief Loan" was raised from 1.845% to 1.97%. In order to take care of economically disadvantaged workers, the MOL fully subsidized the corresponding increase in interest rates for mortgages.

2022-06-16

To enhance the labor safety measures of delivery workers and protect their rights and interests in occupational accidents, the "Guidelines on Safety and Health of Food Delivery Operations" (i.e. Version 4.0) was amended and announced. In addition to strengthening the reasonable dispatch mechanism, expanding the scope of "third party liability insurance", a new item of "hazard notification" was added. The third party liability insurance, which requires a certain period of time before insurance providers can obtain approval for the listing of insurance products, will be fully enforced after a grace period until November 1, 2022.

2022-06-15

Amended and published the "Work Rules Reference Handbook" on the MOL’s website for public reference.

2022-06-15

The "2022 Youth Employment Incentive Program" was announced to encourage youths to seek and maintain employment. Youths aged 15-29 before September 30, 2022 (or who complete military service before June 30, 2023 and are within 90 days after discharge) who are employed with the same employer for more than 90 days can receive an employment incentive bonus of NT$20,000. For 180 days of continuous employment, an additional bonus NT$10,000 will be awarded, making the total of employment incentives NT$30,000.

2022-06-15

In conjunction with the implementation of the "Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act", the "Plan for Employers Hiring Workers Stably" and the "Assured Immediate Employment Program" were amended and promulgated. In addition, the "Plan for Employers Hiring Workers Stably" was extended in conjunction with the implementation of the "Special Act for Prevention, Relief and Revitalization Measures for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens", and the period of employment referrals was amended to June 30, 2023.

2022-06-13

The MOL amended and promulgated the "Implementation Guidelines for Education Subsidies for Children of Unemployed Workers" to make involuntarily unemployed workers who have been granted the Employment Insurance Act's vocational training and living allowance eligible for schooling subsidies for children of unemployed workers. Relevant regulations were also amended in accordance with the implementation of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act and practical requirements.

2022-06-13

The MOL announced amendments to "the Scope of Application of the Second Proviso of Article 34 of the Labor Standards Act", which became effective on June 13, 2022.

2022-06-10

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, issued a circular stipulating that "for the waiting period before the confirmation of rapid screening results and PCR results, etc. the number of leave days will be counted as hospitalized sick leave, and the employer shall not withhold or deduct the employee’s attendance bonus", effective April 8, 2022.

2022-06-09

OSHA and the ILOSH jointly developed and published the "Guidelines for the Prevention of Occupational Hazards in the Film and Television Industry" to implement occupational accident prevention for workers in the film and television industry, improve the occupational safety and health of filming operations, enhance the occupational safety and health management capabilities of the film and television industry, and strengthen the administrative application for the competent authorities to jointly safeguard the occupational safety and health of film and television workers.

2022-05-31

In line with the implementation of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, the occupational accident insurance was separated from labor insurance, and the provisions of Article 6, Article 7, and Article 16 of the "Criteria for Recognition and Examination of Unimpeded Physical and Mental Health of Article 45 of the Labor Standards Act" were amended and became effective as of May 1, 2022.

2022-05-25

Amended and published the "Implementation Guidelines for Subsidizing Administrative Agencies in Handling Arbitration of Labor Disputes" to expand the scope of subsidies for administrative agencies handling consensual arbitration to include arbitration cases delivered by one party in accordance with their authority. Attendance subsidies for arbitrators to attend hearings and conferences were also increased to improve the quality of arbitration and assist in the protection of workers’ rights.

2022-05-25

Hosted the "Taiwan-U.S. Virtual Conference on Unfair Labor Practice Systems and Course Decisions" between the MOL's Board for Decision on the Unfair Labor Practices and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to exchange case studies and systems of labor misconduct adjudication between Taiwan and the U.S., which is expected to improve Taiwan’s labor misconduct adjudication system.

2022-05-25/06-10

The MOL held the "20th Anniversary of the Enactment of the Act of Gender Equality in Employment" seminar with National Chung Cheng University and National Chengchi University, respectively.

2022-05-24

OSHA, the ILOSH, and the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior jointly signed a memorandum of understanding on occupational safety and health in firefighting to help establish firefighting occupational safety and health management standards and enhance a sound occupational safety and health environment for firefighters.

2022-05-20

The MOL issued a circular stipulating that if a worker must take leave of absence to comply with the regulations related to the prevention of COVID-19 and does not immediately receive a quarantine notice and other supporting documents to provide to his or her employer, the worker may submit additional supporting documents within 30 days after the end of the leave taken. Workers who encountered similar instances prior to the issuing of the circular may also provide supporting documents within 30 days after announcement.

2022-05-19

The "Middle-aged and Elderly Employment Promotion Act" and "Promoting the Function Enhancement Program for the Workforce Development Practitioners in Yunlin, Chiayi, and Tainan - Cross-generational Talent Training Program under the 100-Year Life Society", spearheaded by the Workforce Development Agency, received two 2022 Global HRD Awards from the International Federation of Training and Development Organizations (IFTDO). The awards were accepted by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India during the 49th IFTDO World Conference & Exhibition.

2022-05-11

The ILOSH, MOL organized the "2022 Taiwan-U.S. International Research Cooperation and Exchange Meeting", exchanging on five topics including "Shift Work and Cancer - What Does it Mean for Workers? Findings from the Moon Light Workshop", "Shift Work and Breast Cancer - Research Evidence and Methods to Reduce Cancer Risk", "Study on the Potential Disease Risk of Long-Term Night Shift Workers in Taiwan", "Nursing Staff Health Hazard Assessment Study", and "Study on the Epidemiology of Breast Cancer in Workers in Taiwan".

2022-05-11

Amended and announced the "Implementation Guidelines for the Mediation of Labor Disputes Entrusted by the Administrative Agencies to Non-Governmental Organizations" and "Operational Guidelines for the Mediation of Labor Disputes Entrusted by the Administrative Agencies to Non-Governmental Organizations". In addition to increasing the administrative budget for mediation cases entrusted by local government agencies to NGOs, the amendments also strengthened local governments’ oversight of entrusted NGOs, preventing the overburdening of mediators and to ensuring the quality of mediation.

2022-05-10

Amended and promulgated the "Implementation Guidelines for Subsidized Administrative Agencies to Implement Mass Layoff Protection Mechanisms and to Enter Business Establishments to Mediate Labor Disputes" to provide local government administrative resources to help local labor disputes be handled appropriately within enterprises at initial stages of occurrence, effectively stabilizing labor relations.

2022-05-06

In line with the overall epidemic prevention policy and to protect the insured's benefit entitlements, the MOL issued a circular clarifying that if an insured person with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 is unable to work during the period of admission to a hospital, intensive quarantine facility/quarantine hotel, or home care commencing from April 8, 2022, which results in the worker being unable to receive his or her original level of salary income, he or she will be eligible for ordinary injury and sickness benefits under the Labor Insurance Act starting from the fourth day of incapacity.

2022-05-05

The MOL issued a circular clarifying that "If a worker is diagnosed with COVID-19 and is notified by competent health authorities to undertake home care or admitted to a designated premise or hospital, during the period of quarantine and treatment, the employer shall not withhold attendance bonus of workers that take ordinary injury and sick leave", which took effect on April 8, 2022.

2022-05-05

The MOL issued a circular clarifying Article 4(1) of the "Regulations of Leave-Taking of Workers", stipulating that if a worker is diagnosed with COVID-19 and is notified by competent health authorities to undertake home care or admitted to a designated premise or hospital, the number of days of ordinary injury and sickness leave taken during that period shall be included in the calculation of hospitalized sick leave, effective April 8, 2022.

2022-05-03

OSHA, MOL and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) jointly convened the "2nd EU-Taiwan Occupational Safety and Health Cooperation Meeting" through video conference. The meeting was opened by Ambassador Tsai Ming-Yen of the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, and was presided over by William Cockburn, Interim Executive Director of EU-OSHA and OSHA Director-General Tzou Tzu-Lien, respectively. Colleagues from the ILOSH were also invited to participate in the meeting, where participants exchanged views on the topics of "Risk Management of Carcinogenic Substances in the Workplace" and "Industry 4.0 Occupational Safety Management".

2022-05-01

The "Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act" came into effect. A total of 25 related sub laws and regulations were approved or promulgated, and were simultaneously enforced. The act integrates occupational accident prevention, compensation, and reconstruction as well as establishes a complete occupational accident protection system to enhance the protection of workers’ and their families’ rights and interests in occupational accidents.

2022-05-01

In order to benefit workers employed by natural person employers, workers actually engaged in labor, and child laborers providing labor services and enable them to enroll in the Occupational Accident Insurance before working, unified and made available to the public three easy-to-use channels including the iBon kiosk in convenience stores, the official website of the Bureau of Labor Insurance, and trade unions.

2022-05-01

In line with the "Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act" coverage expansion and to facilitate micro-enterprises to enroll employees in insurance coverage, the e-service system of the Bureau of Labor Insurance, MOL was launched to allow business entities with less than four employees to apply online their entity certificate or business owner’s citizen digital certificate to establish an insured unit with for employment insurance, occupational accident insurance, and to enroll employees in insurance coverage. In addition, the MOL optimized the online pre-enrollment and suspension operations and added new National Health Insurance integrated application functions to enhance digital services and simplify the administrative process.

2022-05-01

The "Enforcement Rules of the Employment Insurance Act" was amended to specify the scope of labor insurance injury and illness benefits as mentioned in Article 17 of the Employment Insurance Act and revise the provisions on the establishment of an insured unit, required documents for insurance benefit applications, and the obligation to notify changes in the personal information of the insured in accordance with practical requirements.

2022-04-30

In line with the "APRC Program for Migrant Workers" approved by the Executive Yuan, "The Reviewing Standards and Employment Qualifications for Foreigners Engaging in the Jobs Specified in Subparagraph 8 to 11，Paragraph 1 to Article 46 of the Employment Service Act" and the "Regulations on the Permission and Administration of the Employment of Foreign Workers" were amended to allow migrant workers who have worked in Taiwan for at least six years and foreign students who have obtained an associate degree or higher in Taiwan and meet the salary and technical requirements to work in mid-level technical jobs in Taiwan. Job categories include marine fishing, manufacturing, construction, agriculture (outreach agriculture, orchids, mushrooms, vegetables), and caregiving. The regulations also stipulate matters such as recruitment, employment permit application, life management after entering the country, employer eligibility to hire mid-level technical manpower, foreigner employment eligibility, and employer quota accounting.

2022-04-29

On the eve of Labor Day, MOL Minister Hsu Ming-Chun presided over a press conference to mark the premiere of the Labor Day film "Ah-Fang Laundromat". Also in attendance were the film’s lead singer Henry Hsu, the presidents of national-level trade unions, and the president of the National Federation of Washing and Dyeing Industry Unions of the Republic of China. Combining literature, music and visuals, the featured film is a tribute to the hard work of our fellow workers.

2022-04-29

The Center for Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation, established with donations from the MOL, was inaugurated. The Center will assume the important role of developing sustainable occupational safety and health, protecting labor health, and promoting the comprehensive services of "prevention", "protection" and "rehabilitation" to safeguard enterprises and workers.

2022-04-29

In line with the separation of the Occupational Accident Insurance for Workers from the Labor Insurance Act, amended and promulgated amendments to the "Regulations on Aids for Legal Service and Living Expenses of Labor-Management Disputes", which was separately legislated and implemented on May 1, 2022. Additionally, the scope of legal assistance was extended to include occupational accident insurance for workers.

2022-04-29/05-03

In conjunction with the implementation of the "Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act", the "Regulations for the Implementation of the Employment Promotion Allowances" , "Guidelines for Employment Promotion Assistance for New Immigrants", "Guidelines for Employment Promotion Assistance for Victims of Sexual Assault", "Regulation Governing Subsidies for Disabled Employees of Sheltered Workshops Suffering from Occupational Accidents", and the "Regulations for Technician Skills Certification Administration and Test Site" were amended and promulgated.

2022-04-27

Amended the schedule of "Directions for Reviewing of Work Rules Point 9", which came into effect on May 1, 2022.

2022-04-27

Announced that the amount of labor insurance annuity benefits will be adjusted from May 2022 for those who applied for labor insurance annuity benefits in 2009, 2010, 2013, and 2015 in accordance with the law as the cumulative growth rate of consumer price index has reached the statutory adjustment standard. As of June 29, 2022, the number of beneficiaries was over 490,000 and the average monthly adjustment per insured person was NT$993.

2022-04-27

To commemorate Labor Day, the MOL held the "2022 Labor Day and National Model Worker Award Ceremony" at the Regent Taipei on April 27, 2022, recognizing the efforts and contributions of workers (including migrant workers) to national development, society, and the economy.

2022-04-22

In line with the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, which entered into effect on May 1, 2022, Article 2 and Article 16 of the "Regulations Governing Establishment of the Labor Funds Supervisory Committee of the Ministry of Labor" were amended and promulgated, effective on May 1, 2022.

2022-04-22

In order to investigate the effectiveness of the implementation and promotion of labor and occupational safety and health research, workplace source safety management mechanism, and disaster prevention measures education, eight members of the Control Yuan, including President Chen Chu, Convener Hsiao Tzu-Yu, and members of the Committee on Social Welfare and Environment Hygiene Affairs visited the Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH), MOL.

2022-04-22

The "National Occupational Safety and Health Week" kick-off ceremony was held in conjunction with the "2022 International Conference on Occupational Health, Occupational Medicine, and Occupational Health Nursing". Top experts and scholars from the Ministry of Health and Welfare and occupational health and medical fields, as well as international experts from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Korea, were invited to join the event by video conference. MOL Deputy Minister Wang Shang-Chih delivered the opening address, encouraging companies to attach importance to the occupational safety, hygiene, and health of workers and actively create a safe working environment so as to jointly raise the standard of occupational safety and health in Taiwan.

2022-04-19/05-04/06-09

Amended the "Guidelines for Workplace Safety and Health Protection Measures in Response to Coronavirus: Notes on Migrants' Work, Living and Outside Travel Management" to stipulate that if the number of migrant workers employed reaches 30 or more, staff members at appropriate seniority levels should be designated as the head of epidemic prevention and epidemic prevention management personnel. In addition, the updated regulations stipulated the required and recommended measures employers should take, and annulled regulations stipulating migrant workers employed by different employers should not live together, PCR for migrant workers should be changed to rapid screening, measures to undertake when migrant workers test positive, as well as measures to take for close contacts of migrant workers who test positive.

2022-04-08

To enhance workplace safety and health for traditional industries and promote employment, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), MOL held a kick-off event for the "Plastic Products and Specific Process Industries Occupational Safety and Health and Employment Promotion Cooperation Program" and invited the Industrial Development Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs, and the Workforce Development Agency, MOL to attend. The MOL also signed the Safety Partnership Pledge with the Taiwan Plastics Industry Association, Taiwan Synthetic Resin & Adhesives Industry Association, Taiwan Dyestuffs and Pigments Industrial Association, and Taiwan Regional Association of Adhesive Tape Manufacturers to jointly promote the workplace safety and health in related industries.

2022-04-07

In line with the addition (amendment) of Labor Standards Act provisions related to dispatched labor, the "Guiding Principles of Dispatched Labor Rights and Benefits", "Matters to be Agreed and Not to be Agreed in the Dispatched Labor Contracts", "Reference Dispatched Labor Contract Template Between the Dispatching Unit and the Requisition Employing Unit", and "Labor Contract during Labor Dispatch" were amended for dispatched workers, dispatching entities, and dispatch-requiring entities to follow and reference.

2022-03-30

"Attachment 3 of the Labor Insurance Disability Benefit Payment Standards" was amended to remove the age limit of 45 years or less for women to have a hysterectomy and to further differentiate the level of physical damage.

2022-03-29

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the Ministry of Labor inaugurated the "Data Science Center of Labor and the Opening Ceremony of the Labor Safety and Health Experience Center". The Data Science Center of Labor allows for the exchange of information with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Council of Agriculture, and other ministries. The Center can immediately grasp the latest trends in labor and workplace safety and health through statistical analysis and provide various units with references for governance and policy-making. The Exhibition Hall of Occupational Safety and Health, established in 2002 and the only one of its kind in the nation, created a new "Labor Safety and Health Experience Center" with "safety and health" as the core in response to the rapid development of digitization and information technology. The Center features a multi-faceted exhibition approach for visitors to experience in a fun and educational way so that the knowledge of proper disaster prevention and labor rights is deeply etched in the minds of visitors.

2022-03-25

Announcement given that "Technical Workers of the Fleet Branch, Coast Guard Administration of Ocean Affairs Council" are approved as workers specified in Article 84-1 of the Labor Standards Act.

2022-03-24

The Ministry and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) organized the first virtual Labor Policy Conference. The opening speech was delivered by Peter LIEVENS, Vice-Rector of International Policy, Ambassador Tsai Ming-Yen of the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, and Wang Shang-Chih, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Labor. The meeting shared and discussed issues such as the protection of labor rights of workers in the platform economy, the impact of climate and circular economy transformation on employment and skills, and the use of administrative data by Taiwan and Belgium to analyze labor market manpower trends. Both sides also agreed to continue joint research on labor policy related issues in the future.

2022-03-18

Article 13 of the "Regulations on Security and Maintenance Plan of Personal Data for Private Vocational Training Organizations" were amended to require that private vocational training institutions comply with the central authority's restrictions when transmitting personal information internationally. The private vocational training organization shall also inform the subject of the area where the personal data will be transferred. The private vocational training institution shall also properly supervise the data recipient.

2022-03-16

Formulated and promulgated the "Guidelines for Employers to Subsidize the Costs of Staying in Quarantine Accommodations for Foreigners Engaged in Domestic Help and Caregiver Work", agreeing to subsidize 50% of the cost of staying in centralized quarantine hotels or qualified quarantine accommodations for foreigners in the social welfare category, up to a maximum of NT$1,250 in subsidies per person per day.

2022-03-14

Amended and announced "Notes on the Employment of Part-time Workers" to continuously protect the labor rights of part-time workers.

2022-03-10

The 2022 "Labor Conditions Targeted Inspection Plan" is planned to implement a total of 19 project inspections in four major areas, including "public safety," "support for the disadvantaged," "recurring violations," and "social concern," with a total of 5,200 inspections to urge business establishments to implement sound labor conditions.

2022-03-09

The "Manpower Dispatch Industry Personal Data File Security Maintenance Plan and Handling Measures" was formulated and promulgated to regulate the manpower supply industry and establish appropriate security maintenance measures for the personal data files they maintain to reduce the risk of personal data theft or leakage that may harm the rights and interests of the parties concerned. The measures are scheduled to take effect on June 1, 2022.

2022-03-07

In accordance with the Central Epidemic Command Center's announcement of relaxed border quarantine measures, since March 7, 2022, foreign professionals have been allowed to enter the country, and the quarantine days are the same as those for migrant workers. Both have been shortened to 10 days, and two PCR tests and five quick screenings should be conducted after entry until the end of self-health management to take care of both epidemic prevention and safety, and social and economic activities.

2022-03-04

Completed the distribution of NT$283.68 billion of income from the Labor Pension Fund (New Scheme) in FY2021, and distributed to approximately 12.25 million individual beneficiary accounts. The MOL also provided various channels for workers to inquire about the amount of earnings distribution and accumulated earnings in their individual pension accounts.

2022-03-02~31

In accordance with the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, which came into effect on May 1, 2022, 25 sub-laws and regulatory orders were completed, including the "Enforcement Rules of Protection for Workers Incurring Occupational Accidents Act," "Regulations of the Examination of Injuries and Diseases Resulting from the Performance of Duties by the Insured Persons of the Labor Insurance Program," "Act on Health Examination and Health Tracking Inspection for Prevention of Occupational Diseases of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act," and "Regulations for Occupational Accidents Workers to Apply for Device Care Disability and Death Subsidies".

2022-02-24

NT$30 billion was allocated to the Labor Insurance Fund to increase the fund's income.

2022-02-15

In order to meet the needs of both domestic epidemic prevention and enterprise and family needs, the second phase of the Migrant Workers’ Introduction Program was launched on February 15, 2022, and the entry points-based system was abolished. Before migrant workers come to Taiwan, they must be fully vaccinated in their country of origin and comply with overseas epidemic prevention regulations, including undergoing PCR tests and one-person-one-room isolation before entering Taiwan. After coming to Taiwan, employers are allowed to arrange for migrant workers to stay in quarantine hotels for home quarantine and self-health management and follow the relevant epidemic prevention guidelines.

2021-01-25

In cooperation with the Central Epidemic Command Center, the Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the MOL, inspected the ventilation system of certain quarantine hotels to prevent cross-infection of staying guests through the ventilation system. During inspections of hotels, it was found that some rooms had poorly designed ventilation and air conditioning systems and partition structures, and the air might circulate between rooms. The results of the inspection were provided to the Central Epidemic Command Center and related units for reference.

2022-01-24

Amended and promulgated the "Regulations Governing the Accreditation and Management of Occupational Safety and Health Consulting Service Organizations and their Consulting Service Personnel" to amend the establishment, staffing, qualification conditions, accreditation procedures and auditing matters of the business premises of consulting organizations, and increase the penalties according to the severity of their violations in order to strengthen the quality and supervision and management mechanism of consulting organizations.

2022-01-22

Amended and promulgated partial regulations of the "Dual Track Vocational Training Project", in line with the Ministry of Education's promotion of the "Industry-Academia Co-op Program 2.0", to include the partner companies of the Industry-Academia Co-op Program as training units and to subsidize the training fees for job positions.

2022-01-18

Partial amendments to the "Act of Gender Equality in Employment" stipulated the increase of the number of maternity leave days from 5 to 7, and amended "Paternity Leave" to "Pregnancy Checkup Accompaniment and Paternity Leave" from 5 to 7 . Flexible working hours can be negotiated, allowing both parents to apply for leave without pay for childcare at the same time. The amendments took effect on January 18, 2022 after approval by the Executive Yuan.

2022-01-18

Article 19-1 of the "Employment Insurance Act" was amended to include "parents without working income (non-working father, mother)" to the scope of dependents' benefits; Article 19-2 removed the provision that parents who are both insured may not apply for childcare leave without pay at the same time.

2022-01-18

Amended and promulgated Article 7, Article 9 and Article 15 of the "Enforcement Rules for Act of Gender Equality in Employment", and changed the name of "Paternity Leave" to "Pregnancy Checkup Accompaniment and Paternity Leave" in accordance with Article 15, Paragraph 5 of the "Act of Gender Equality in Employment". An employee who accompanies his spouse for maternity examination or delivery may take leave to accompany the spouse for maternity examination or delivery for a total of 7 days max at his discretion; in addition, the relevant text of Article 9 of the "Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act" has been amended accordingly.

2022-01-18

Article 2 and Article 9 of the "Regulations for Implementing Unpaid Parental Leave for Raising Children" were amended and promulgated to comply with the deletion of Article 22 of the Act of Gender Equality in Employment. Regardless of whether the spouse is employed or not, there is no longer a requirement for a valid reason. Both parents can choose whether to apply for parental leave without pay at the same time, taking into account the overall financial situation and the division of household duties.

2022-01-18

Amended and promulgated the "Directions for Allowances of Pregnancy Checkups Leave, Accompanying Pregnancy Checkups Leave and Paternity Leave", in line with the amendment of Article 15, Paragraph 5 and Paragraph 7 of the Act of Gender Equality in Employment, to include the relevant provisions for employers to apply for Accompany Pregnancy Checkups Leave and Paternity Leave salary subsidies.

2021-12-30~2022-01-14

The "2022 Labor Insurance Insured Relief Loan" was launched, benefiting more than 81,000 workers with more than NT$8.1 billion.

2022-01-07

The creation of the new function of Category D occupational safety and health affairs supervisor under the Occupational Safety and Health Education and Training Rules took effect on January 7, 2022, together with the announcement that the training units should establish an autonomous management system and submit for approval its training test, which should be conducted at an approved test site to maintain the quality of training.

2022-01-01

The minimum wage was increased from NT$24,000 to NT$25,250 effective immediately. The "Table of Grades of Labor Insurance Salary" and the "Monthly Contribution Classification of Labor Pension" were amended and took effect on the same day. The first tier of the "Table of Grades of Labor Insurance Salary" was revised to NT$25,250. In order to protect the rights and interests of the insured, the monthly insured salary of $24,000 in December 2021 (excluding insured persons with part-time employment, persons with physical and mental disabilities in sheltered employment, trainees in vocational training institutions, and insured persons who are low-income members of occupational unions) was adjusted to $25,250 for labor insurance and insurance coverage, benefiting over 3.36 million workers. The Monthly Contribution Classification of Labor Pension was revised to $25,250 for Grade 21. The lower limit of Grade 22 was revised to $25,251 for those who applied for labor pensions with a monthly contribution of $25,250, benefiting more than 1.41 million workers.

2021-12-30

The MOL announced amendments to some provisions of the “Regulations on Aids for Legal Service and Living Expenses of Labor-Management Disputes”, including the stipulation that no support shall be provided to applicants with a total monthly income exceeding NT$70,000, so that legal support resources can be directed to disadvantaged workers and legal support measures can be continuously promoted.

2021-12-29

In order to encourage organizations to enhance the overall effectiveness of talent development, the Workforce Development Agency organized the 2021 National Talent Development Awards Ceremony to publicly recognize the 20 winning organizations. The award is the only national-level award in the field of human resources in Taiwan, recognizing the winners for completeness, stability, performance and innovation in their respective talent development systems.

2021-12-28

The Legislative Yuan passed the amendment to some provisions of the Act of Gender Equality in Employment on the third reading. The implementation date will be determined by the Executive Yuan.

2021-12-27

President Tsai Ing-wen and MOL Minister Hsu Ming-Chun visited the 51st National Skills Competition Gold, Silver, and Bronze medalists ceremony. They congratulated and encouraged the top 3 winners of each category in this year's competition.

2021-12-22

The Labor Insurance Bureau of the Ministry of Labor announced the “2022 Labor Insurance Insured Relief Loan” with the total amount of NT$20 billion and the maximum loan amount of NT$100,000 per person; the application period is from Dec. 30, 2021 to Jan. 14, 2022.

2021-12-21

n accordance with the adjustment of the minimum wage to NT$25,250 effective January 1, 2022, the “Table of Grades of Labor Insurance Salary” and the “Labor Pension Monthly Contribution Classification Table” were simultaneously revised and implemented on January 1, 2022.

2021-12-15

The “Post Epidemic 2021 - Seminar on Sustainable Development of Occupational Safety and Health” was held. The Deputy Director-General of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Chu Chin-Lung, presented an award to the key enterprises that actively promote safety and health, and shared the achievements of promoting safety and health in the workplace through keynote speeches and practical experience exchange.

2021-12-15

In order to promote the use of the adjudication system by workers and labor unions and to reduce financial barriers, the Ministry of Labor amended and promulgated the “Implementation Guidelines for Subsidizing Transportation Expenses for Workers and Labor Unions to Attend Labor Misconduct Adjudication Meetings” on December 15, 2021, with immediate effect. The subsidy will be extended to workers who apply for a labor misconduct ruling and workers who apply for the ruling and the union representatives.

2021-12-07

In order to assist the Judicial Yuan in promoting the Citizen Judges Act, which will come into effect on January 1, 2023, the Judicial Yuan, the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions and the MOL, through tripartite cooperation, held a “Citizen Judges Mock Trial - Union Leaders' Session” at the Shihlin Academy for the Judiciary. Nearly 80 union leaders from the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions were invited to participate in the event to recognize the spirit of citizen participation and pass on the correct concept of the rule of law.

2021-12-06

In order to implement the principle of direct payment of wages by employers, the “Guidelines for Employers on Payment of Wages to Foreign Fishermen” were amended and released to remove the issue that employers may appoint an intermediary company to transfer wages to foreign fishermen.

2021-12-01

The MOL held the 2021 Annual Award Presentation Ceremony and Experience Sharing Session for the Top-performing Units and Individuals of Employment Promotion for People with Physical and Mental Disabilities. The award presentation ceremony recognized 13 units and 16 professionals with outstanding performance in vocational rehabilitation services. The outstanding units and professionals also shared their experiences to enhance the quality of services.

2021-11-30

The MOL announced amendments to “Implementation Standards for Vocational Training for the Unemployed” to include unemployed foreign workers who are partially incapacitated due to occupational injury or occupational disease as the target of training under this Standard. In addition, senior citizens will be included as candidates for additional bonus points in the examination.

2021-11-30~12-03

In order to learn more about the development of skills and gender trends in digital marketing, the Workforce Development Agency organized the online “Innovation, Inspiration, Inclusion: Women’s Economic Empowering, New Media Digital Upskilling (WEDU) Seminar“ and the “Workshop on Gender Competence in Online Marketing”, inviting representatives from APEC economies and experts in digital technology, marketing strategies and gender perspectives from home and abroad to discuss the cultivation of digital marketing talents and ways to enhance gender awareness through cross-disciplinary dialogues, as well as to make important observations on future trends.

2021-11-26

The MOL held the awards ceremony for the “2021 Outstanding Public Construction Golden Safety Award”. In the 15 years since the first “Outstanding Public Works Golden Safety Awards” was launched, the awards have served to increase recognition of outstanding construction teams and individuals and share their good practices in promoting workplace safety and health. The theme of the award ceremony was set as “Award for Golden Safety, Leading Workplace Safety”. By recognizing units with excellent work safety performance, it is hoped that the overall construction safety culture will be enhanced and instilled.

2021-11-26~27

MOL jointly held the “2011-2021 Seminar on the Legal System and Practical Operation of the 10th Anniversary of the Implementation of the Three Labor Laws” with the Center for Public and Business Administration Education of National Chengchi University. The purpose was to review the historical legalization process of the Labor Union Act, the Collective Agreement Act and the Act for Settlement of Labor-Management Disputes 10 years ago, observe the current situation of the Three Labor Laws and review the prospects of the Three Labor Laws, and listen to suggestions from representatives of labor and political science.

2021-11-25

In line with the adjustment of minimum wages, the MOL announced the amendments to the “Monthly Contribution Classification of Labor Pension“. The upper limit of the actual wage/labor income tier and the monthly contributed wage/monthly contributed labor income of the formerly stipulated Tier 21 are amended to $25,250, and the lower limit of the actual wage/labor income tier of the formerly stipulated Tier 22 is amended accordingly, while the rest remains unchanged. The amendments took effect from January 1, 2022.

2021-11-25

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the MOL (OSHA) and the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) jointly organized the 2nd Taiwan-UK Occupational Safety and Health Summit to exchange views on workplace safety and health policies, promotion strategies and practices via teleconferencing. During the event, future cooperation to deepen the Taiwan-UK occupational safety partnership was also discussed.

2021-11-24

The MOL announced amendments to the “Table of Grades of Labor Insurance Salary“, which took effect from January 1, 2022.

2021-11-20

In order to prevent the work hazards of agricultural workers in Taiwan, the Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the MOL (ILOSH) has developed and designed two sets of employment aids for elderly agricultural workers, “Slow Harvesting Kit” and “Slow Harvesting Sun Protection Kit”, through occupational health technology. ILOSH also jointly organized the “Spring Breeze, Lucky Land, Safe and Sound – Farming Labor Prosperity - Agricultural Aids Presentation and Special Exhibition on Occupational Safety and Health” with the Pingtung County Government on November 20, 2021, demonstrating the actual application of R&D results on agricultural workers.

2021-11-17

The “National Occupational Safety and Health Award” Awards Ceremony was held. Premier Su Tseng-Chang of the Executive Yuan personally presented the awards certificate to award-winning entities and individuals. Minister Hsu Ming-Chun delivered a speech to thank and encourage all sectors to continue to promote occupational safety and health. In addition to recognizing the dedication and efforts of the award-winning companies and individuals in building a safe and healthy workplace, Premier Su also hoped they could lead other companies to continue to improve the culture of occupational safety and health and work together for the safety and health of workers.

2021-11-13

The Workforce Development Agency of the MOL (WDA) held the awards ceremony for the winning teams of the “BeChangeMaker Competition”(BCM). In order to encourage young people to participate in the international social entrepreneurship training competitions, the WDA drew up a mentoring program for youth to encourage and reward participation in the BCM Competition. The mentored team “eZ2Code” won 2nd place in the global competition, standing out from 378 participating teams representing 64 countries, and was awarded a certificate and prize award by Minister Hsu Ming-Chun.

2021-11-11~12-30

On the premise of both epidemic prevention and industry development, in order to alleviate the domestic labor shortage and considering that the Indonesian government can actively cooperate with the relevant epidemic prevention measures, the MOL announced the lifting on restrictions on employers bringing in foreign migrant workers from Indonesia under the “Project for the Introduction of Migrant Workers under Strict COVID-19 Border Control Measures” on November 11, 2021. In addition, on December 30, 2021, employers will be allowed to bring in Thai migrant workers under the “Project for the Introduction of Migrant Workers under Strict COVID-19 Border Control Measures”, based on the Thai government's cooperation with the epidemic prevention measures.

2021-11-09

The “3rd State-Owned Enterprises Inter-Ministerial Risk Reduction Platform in 2021” was held, inviting the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan, and Public Construction Commission of the Executive Yuan to discuss and refine disaster reduction strategies and prevention actions, such as the cases of deaths caused by forklifts operating on roads, multiple traffic accidents involving delivery platform workers, and the deaths of workers during container lifting operations in container port terminal area, to expand disaster reduction momentum through inter-ministerial cooperation and effectively protect the safety and health of workers.

2021-11-02

The MOL announced that “real estate appraisal assistants employed in the market credit industry” and “personnel working on set in the film production industry” are defined as workers under Article 84-1 of the Labor Standards Act.

2021-11-02

The MOL announced amendments to “the Scope of Application of the Second Proviso of Article 34 of the Labor Standards Act”, which took effect starting from November 2, 2021.

2021-10-29

A special screening of labor education films was held at the Wonderful Movie Theater in Ximending to foster diverse methods for the promotion of labor concepts. Deputy Minister Wang An-Pang of the MOL and the director Guo Chen-Ti attended the event with the union representatives to enjoy the domestically produced film “Final Exam.” The featured film conveyed the dignity of labor and the struggle for workers' rights, which moved the union representatives.

2021-10-28

Notification to entities to which the labor insurance and occupational accident insurance actual premium rates are applicable for 2022. There were 12,803 insured entities that were subject to the actual rates. Among these, 9,738 entities are subject to a reduction in premiums, 2,232 entities are subject to an increase, and 833 entities will maintain the same rates.

2021-10-28~11-07

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the MOL (ILOSH) held the “Underwater Welding Professional Instructor Training Course” to enhance the technical skills of domestic underwater welding practices, and conducted technical capability assessments according to certification standards after the course to implement underwater welding technology improvement, quality management and safety protection of diver workers.

2021-10-26

The MOL announced that amendments had been made to “List of the Covered Industry and Schedule of the Premium Rates for Occupational Accident Insurance”, which shall take effect from January 1, 2022.

2021-10-15

The MOL announced that the monthly minimum wage is to be increased to NT$25,250 and the hourly minimum wage to NT$168, which shall take effect from January 1, 2022.

2021-10-14~16

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the MOL (ILOSH) participated in 2021Taiwan Innotech Expo, where it exhibited a number of innovative technologies to protect labor safety, such as the smart helmet for industrial use, image recognition technology for hazard prevention in hazardous work processes, the use of N-acetyl-cysteine as an antidote for tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide and glutathione as an antidote for tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide, a smart monitoring system for hazardous substances in operating environments, and a system for early warning of a worker's fatigue condition. Among them, the three latest patented technologies, including industrial smart helmet, fatigue driving warning system, and hazardous substance smart monitoring system, participated in the patent invention competition and won gold, silver, and bronze medals respectively, fully demonstrating the forward-looking, innovative technology and technological momentum of ILOSH. In addition, the R&D achievements of the “Industrial Smart Helmet” were also selected as one of the 15 selected exhibits in the “3D Highlighted Technologies of Taiwan Innotech Expo 2021 - Sustainability Pavilion” to be featured during the expo.

2021-10-08

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the MOL held a “Coal Mine Labor History Exhibition” at the Houtong Miner Cultural History Museum. Through the oral history of 20 coal mine workers and the display of related texts, photographs, pictures, archives, and historical artifacts, the exhibition presented the various aspects of the labor relations issues of coal mine workers in post-war Taiwan to the general public.

2021-09-30

The joint press conference of the “2021 Ingraining Labor Concepts - Campus Tour Train” was held at Chi-Ying Senior High School in Taoyuan City with the Department of Education of the Taoyuan City Government and the If Kids Theatre Troupe to promote the campus tour train activity. The event aims to declare that sound labor concepts will be spread to high schools in rural areas nationwide.

2021-09-30

The Workforce Development Agency of the Ministry of Labor held an international skills cooperation symposium, inviting 151 local and foreign dignitaries from 25 countries, including experts from industry, government and academia related to skills development. The symposium shared global skills development and challenges under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and was held through a dual-track virtual and physical format.

2021-09-29

Amendments to the “Guidelines of the Division and Trial of Cases by the Unfair Labor Practices Adjudication Committee” were promulgated in line with changes to the Act for Settlement of Labor-Management Disputes and the Regulations for Decision on the Unfair Labor Practices establishing a standing adjudication committee. The Adjudication Committee is amended to empower the examination panel as the main body to hear cases and include the role of standing adjudicators, adjust the processes of adjudicating cases by adjudicators, and improve the mechanisms of the adjudication system. The amendments shall come into effect on October 1, 2021.

2021-09-29~12-04

The 51st National Skills Competition was organized by the Workforce Development Agency of the Ministry of Labor.

2021-09-28

The “Regulations for Decision on the Unfair Labor Practices” were amended and promulgated to conform to the amendments to Article 43 of the Act for Settlement of Labor-Management Disputes on April 28, 2021 to establish a standing adjudication committee, to add the duties and responsibilities of the standing adjudication committee to the “Regulations for Decision on the Unfair Labor Practices”, and to amend the regulations on making substantive decisions and settlements in adjudication cases to promote proper adjudication procedures and to improve the operation of the adjudication system. The Regulations shall come into effect on October 1, 2021.

2021-09-27

Amended and promulgated the “Data Security Plan and Measures for Maintaining Personal Data Files in Private Vocational Training Institutions” to enable effective control by competent authorities in incidents whereby personal information is stolen, tampered with, destroyed, lost or leaked in a private vocational training institution, and to take appropriate supervisory and enforcement measures immediately. This is expected to effectively reduce the risks and damages arising from the incident and to strengthen regulations on information security standards.

2021-09-23-24

In response to the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic and to present the achievements and advantages of digitalization in Taiwan’s healthcare industry, the Workforce Development Agency of the Ministry of Labor organized the online “APEC Innovative Caregiving through Digital Upskilling Workshop”, inviting experts in vocational training and healthcare industry from Taiwan and abroad to explore the ways of digital skills enhancement for care workers through industry-government-academia dialogues. The project was well-received by APEC member economies and received funding from APEC. The purpose of the project is to leverage digital technology in a hands-on process and to develop “digital skills for health care workers” function-oriented courses based on the Integrated Competency and Application Platform (iCAP) audit indicators, to strengthen the exchange and cooperation of vocational training and health care industry personnel, and to promote the internationalization of workforce development.

2021-09-17

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor held an expert meeting and invited former Vice President Chen Chien-Jen and other epidemiologists to discuss in depth the “epidemiology of breast cancer among workers and analysis of the effectiveness of screening for four cancers among workers in Taiwan.”

2021-09-16

The Ministry of Labor amended and promulgated changes to some provisions of the “Standards of Hazard Prevention for Specific Chemicals”, with key changes including the addition of 1,3-butadiene and 1,2-epoxypropane as the first substance in Category C, indium and its compounds, cobalt and its inorganic compounds and naphthalene as the third substance in Category C; amendments of formaldehyde from a substance in Category B to the first substance in Category C. In addition, the amendments stipulate that trained and qualified professionals should design local exhaust ventilation devices, and design reports and original performance test reports shall be produced. The qualifications, conditions, training courses, and hours of training for design professionals are specified to enhance the design capabilities of personnel and ensure the functional performance of the devices.

2021-09-13

On August 20, 2021, the Judicial Yuan issued Judicial Interpretation No. 807, declaring Article 49, Paragraph 1 of the Labor Standards Act unconstitutional. The provisions of Article 49 are no longer in effect as of that date. An exception is made for Paragraph 3 of Article 49, which prohibits an employer from compelling a female worker to work at night for health or other legitimate reasons. Paragraph 5 prohibits a female worker from working at night during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The prohibition of night work during pregnancy or breastfeeding shall remain in force.

2021-09-11

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor established the “Occupational Safety and Health Guidelines for Portage Work in Mountainous Areas”, and provided for the necessary preventive equipment or measures and other recommendations for alpine porters, calling on all sectors to work together to implement the prevention of hazards for porters.

2021-09-07

Amendments made to “Regulations for the Classification of Qualified Childcare Workers” and promulgated. In line with the Executive Yuan's goal of eliminating gender stereotypes and prejudices based on the principle of gender equality, the title of the classification of “Qualified Childcare Nannies” is amended to that of “Qualified Childcare Workers”, the relevant wording is adjusted accordingly in accordance with the functions and legal regulations required of childcare workers.

2021-08-26

A task force meeting was held with the heads of labor inspection agencies nationwide to express gratitude to all labor inspection agencies for their cooperation in conducting inspections of foreign migrant workers' dormitories during the severe epidemic situation in April and May, and to local governments for actively seeking vaccinations for front-line inspectors.

2021-08-26

The “Ministry of Labor Economic Stimulus and Employment Incentive Program” was announced. In line with the Executive Yuan's 5x Stimulus Voucher, the Ministry has launched a 50% increase in incentives to encourage the implementation of the Diversified Employment Development Program and the Employment Empowerment Program by relevant agencies, as well as the Ministry’s provision of interest subsidies for business start-up loans and sheltered workshops to promote measures related to economic stimulus, thus revitalizing the consumer market, and creating employment opportunities for the unemployed.

2021-08-25

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Ministry of Labor dispatched agents to board vessels and travel to the seas off Yunlin County to carry out safety and health supervision and inspection of the Yunneng Wind Power Offshore Wind Farm. The agents inspected the safety and health facilities and management of the construction site of the wind turbine and inter-array cable. They urged the developer of the wind farm to strengthen the supervision of the safety management and the supervision of its contractors.

2021-08-17

The 2021 annual selection of outstanding labor inspectors was held. 57 candidates were nominated by local governments and respective labor inspection agencies, and 15 inspectors and 17 employed inspectors were selected as outstanding labor inspectors by the evaluation committee.

2021-08-16

The “2021 Job Search Subsidy Program for New Graduates,” was formulated and announced. The Program seeks to help youths aged between 20-29 to strengthen their job-seeking preparation and reduce their financial stress during the job search process in response to the continued impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on the domestic job market. The 2021 Job Search Subsidy Program for New Graduates was launched on August 16, 2021. It will run until December 31, 2021, providing employment counseling resources and subsidies to support fresh graduates in their job search. Eligible youths who complete their job search preparation process will receive a one-time cash subsidy of NT$2000. A monthly job search allowance of $10,000 will be paid for up to three months to those who receive job counseling or employment referral services during the job search period.

2021-08-16

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor and the Taipei District Operations Office of the Taiwan Power Company (Taipower) signed a cooperation agreement to cooperate in the field of labor and occupational safety and health and to increase the knowledge of occupational safety and health and related technical research through the sharing of occupational safety and health knowledge, practical experience and cases of occupational safety disasters.

2021-08-11

The Ministry of Labor amended and promulgated the “Ministry of Labor Livelihood Subsidy Program for Part-Time Workers Impacted by COVID-19,” to include those who are over the age of 65 or those who are ineligible for employment insurance under Article 5, Item 2, Paragraph 2 of the Employment Insurance Act. Those employed and insured under labor insurance or only under occupational accident insurance are eligible for this subsidy, and the application period will be extended until September 30, 2021.

2021-08-11

The Ministry of Labor amended and promulgated the “Ministry of Labor Livelihood Subsidy Program for Workers Impacted by COVID-19,” to include those who are over 65 years old or re-employed workers who have received old-age benefits from labor insurance or other social insurance pension benefits to be eligible for this subsidy. Requirements have also been relaxed to include workers whose salaries have been reduced by 20% to be eligible to apply for this subsidy, and to extend the application period until September 30, 2021.

2021-07-30

Amendments made to Article 4, Article 17, Article 17-1, Article 18, Article 18-1, Article 19-12, Article 13, and Table 6 of “The Reviewing Standards and Employment Qualifications for Foreigners Engaging in the Jobs Specified in Subparagraph 8 to 11, Paragraph 1 to Article 46 of the Employment Service Act”. Amendments include stipulations for non-departmental public bodies to allow for the employment of foreigners in subcontracting for construction projects and for subcontractors to act as employers to apply for the employment of foreigners. Other amendments include upgrading of major energy construction projects from Class B to Class A; amending the qualifications for the introduction of foreign construction workers in civil works projects; amending Table 6 of the specific process qualifications for the manufacturing industry to explicitly classify manufacturing plants engaged in the pickling process as Class A+ and the non-edible ice cube manufacturing industry as a specific manufacturing process industry. The abalone cultivation industry was also added to the scope of aquafarming.

2021-07-28

In order to simplify the administration and promote the digitalization of smart government services, the Bureau of Labor Insurance e-Service System has added two new online application services, “Labor Insurance General Disability Benefit” and “Occupational Disability Insurance Pension Including Dependent's Allowance”, to “Individual Online Application and Inquiries”. Insured persons can use their natural person credentials to log in to the e-service system of the Bureau of Labor Insurance and complete the online application for “Labor Insurance General Disability Benefit”, and then have their respective insured employers log in to the e-service system of the Bureau of Labor Insurance for “Insured Unit Online Application and Inquiry Operation” to complete the application procedure.

2021-07-27

An interpretation circular was issued by the Ministry of Labor to stipulate that the period during which workers are unable to work due to the suspension of business or the inability for their employers to continue business operations as a result of a government order, announcement or notice to cooperate with epidemic prevention measures for COVID-19 is excluded from the calculation of workers’ average wages under Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the Enforcement Rules of the Labor Standards Act.

2021-07-21

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the Ministry of Labor convened the Taiwan-US International Research Cooperation and Exchange Conference through a video conference, focusing on occupational safety and health issues. The event was jointly opened by ILOSH Chairperson Ho Jiune-Jye, Margaret M. Kitt, Deputy Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Frank Hearl, NIOSH Chief of Staff. The conference focused in-depth on silicosis research and risk assessment issues, the proposed allowable exposure standards for two particle-sized ranges of titanium dioxide, nanomaterials, nanocarbon tubes, and nanofibers.

2021-07-19

The Ministry of Labor issued an interpretation order to stipulate the “exclusion of all wages and days during vaccination leave from the calculation of average wages”, which took effect on May 5, 2021.

2021-07-12

Amendments and promulgation of Article 39 of the “Enforcement Rules of the Labor Pension Act” and Article 48 of the “Regulations for the Implementation of Annuity Insurance under the Labor Pension Act” to simplify the application procedures of the new labor pension (pension of annuity insurance) and relax the requirements for overseas applicants to submit a power of attorney and identity documents in English. After verification by Taiwan’s embassies and representative offices abroad, the Chinese translation can be waived to shorten the application process for the applicant.

2021-07-12

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the Ministry of Labor and National Chung Cheng University held an online citizen's forum on “Building a New Legal System for Labor Law in Response to the New Trend of the Gig Economy”. Thirty-four experts and practitioners were invited to discuss future trends and related policies and legal issues through a group discussion in a “World Café” format.

2021-07-12

Amendment and promulgation of the “Stable Employment Program” in line with the extension of the effective period of the Special Act for Prevention, Relief and Revitalization Measures for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens to prevent the employment market from shrinking and becoming imbalanced. In addition to the employment incentive measures, the program was amended to include an employment incentive allowance for workers, adjust the subsidy amount, and relax the eligible criteria.

2021-07-08

The “Ministry of Labor Livelihood Subsidy Program for Employed Workers Impacted by COVID-19” was announced and applications were accepted starting from July 12, 2021.

2021-07-07

The Ministry of Labor's “Livelihood Subsidy Program for Part-Time Workers Impacted by COVID-19” was amended to relax the eligibility requirements for those who have enrolled in employment insurance and whose monthly insured salary is less than NT$23,100 (inclusive) as of April 2021 (any 1 day of employment). The applicants shall be granted a livelihood subsidy of NT$10,000 if they meet certain eligibility requirements.

2021-07-07

Amendments and promulgation of the “Occupational Safety and Health Education and Training Regulations”. The main amendments include the addition of aerial working platform operators and occupational safety and health business supervisory categories; the addition of training bodies to conduct education and training for certain technical categories that the central competent authorities should approve, and training bodies that have established vocational training institutions in accordance with the law to conduct general safety and health education and training and on-the-job education for external enrollment. After the training is completed, the relevant training information should be registered online to improve the quality of training bodies.

2021-07-01

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the Ministry of Labor and the HIVA - Research Institute for Work and Society of the Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) signed a cooperation agreement. The signing ceremony was presided by ILOSH Chairperson Ho Jiune-Jye, KU Leuven Rector Prof. Luc Sels and the Director of HIVA - Research Institute for Work and Society, Prof. Van Hootegem, and was successfully completed with the participation of former Vice Minister of Labor Lin San-Quei, the representative of Taiwan to the EU and Belgium, Ambassador Tsai Ming-Yan, and the Director of the Belgium Taipei Office, Frédéric Verheyden. It is hoped that through the signing of the cooperation agreement with HIVA of KU Leuven, both sides can deepen research cooperation and commitment to improving the protection of the occupational safety and health of all citizens.

2021-06-24

The “Ministry of Labor's Livelihood Subsidy Program for Workers Employed for Part-time Work in Response to COVID-19” was announced and applications were accepted starting from 06 28, 2021.

2021-06-23

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Ministry of Labor formulated the “Reference Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health for Work From Home” to provide the safety and health precautions for work at home in response to the epidemic situation for business units and workers and to adjust the application of the reference guidelines according to the practical circumstances.

2021-06-21

The “2021 Youth Employment Incentive Program” was established to encourage youth to actively seek gainful employment and stabilize employment rates. Youths aged 15-29 who are employed before September 30, 2021, or discharged from military service before 06 30, 2022, will be given an employment incentive of $20,000 by the Ministry for finding a job within 90 days after completing military service and retaining the job for at least 90 days thereafter, and another $10,000 for those who have been employed for 180 days, for a total of up to $30,000 in employment incentives.

2021-06-21

Revision of the “Guidelines for Employers Employing Foreign Workers during the COVID-19 epidemic: Notes for Foreign Workers on Work, Life and Travel Management.” Because of the clustered infection case in a certain electronics factory in Miaoli County, in order to promote the implementation of epidemic prevention work in the business establishments employing foreign workers, guidelines have been revised to include additional management standards for foreign workers’ dormitories, visits to potential high-risk enterprises, make it mandatory to segregate foreign workers, specify that foreign workers from different employers are not allowed to live in mixed dormitories, and assist the management of the target business establishments in strengthening counseling and awareness to lower risk of an epidemic outbreak. The measures to be taken by employers and the proposed measures to be taken by employers are detailed and communicated to local governments, employers' organizations, labor agency associations and representative offices of the foreign workers’ countries.

2021-06-18

Amended and promulgated the “Peace of Mind Immediate Work Program” to relax the eligibility criteria for workers to participate in the program to nationals aged 15 or older, foreigners who have obtained permanent residency, or Mainland spouses. The working hours are revised to a maximum of 960 hours per person, and the monthly epidemic prevention allowance has been increased to a maximum of NT$2,000 depending on the work content.

2021-06-15

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Ministry of Labor assisted the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in providing advice on the “slip resistance” of five draft national standards for safety, including “safety shoes with a chainsaw cutting resistance”.

2021-06-15

In order to assist the workers affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, the “Labor Relief Loan” was introduced, with a quota of 500,000 beneficiaries. The Ministry of Labor coordinated with participating consortium banks to provide funding for the loans and the Small & Medium Enterprise Credit Guarantee Fund of Taiwan (SMEG) to provide a 10% credit guarantee. The maximum loan amount is $100,000 per person with a loan term of 3 years and a loan interest rate of 1.845%, with the Ministry subsidizing the interest of the first year of the loan. Since the total number of applicants reached more than 1.17 million, the loan application criteria were relaxed to include all workers who submitted their applications before 06 19 and were approved by their respective banks.

2021-06-10

The “Legal Aid for Gender Equality Lawsuits” was amended and promulgated, adding the requirement of examining the applicant's qualification status and specifying that the proportion of members of the review panel shall be composed of no less than one-third of either gender in accordance with the gender equality policy framework, in order to enhance the opportunities for female participation.

2021-06-09

Amended and promulgated the “Peace of Mind Employment Program” to coincide with the extension of the implementation period of the “Special Act for Prevention, Relief and Revitalization Measures for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens”, and amend the implementation period of this program to the effective duration of the Special Act, and extend the number of months of subsidy from 12 months to 24 months.

2021-06-08

Amended and promulgated the “Enforcement Rules of the Labor Insurance Law” to amend the documents to be attached to the employer's establishment of an insured unit, to relax the requirement that the English documents related to the application for benefits can be exempted from the Chinese translation, and to simplify the documents to be attached to the application for injury and illness benefits, in order to improve the labor insurance rights of workers.

2021-06-04

The Ministry announced amendments to “The Scope of Application of the Second Proviso of Article 34 of the Labor Standards Act” which became effective on 06 4, 2021.

2021-06-04

The “Pregnancy Checkup Leave Salary Subsidy Guidelines” and the “Parental Leave Salary Subsidy Guidelines” were promulgated and took effect on July 1.

2021-06-04

The “Regulations on the Implementation of Childcare Leave without Pay” were amended and promulgated and became effective on July 1. The amendments relaxed the flexibility of the application period for childcare leave without pay, whereby the employed person can apply for childcare leave without pay for up to 6 months before the child reaches the age of 3. Still, each application cannot be less than 30 days, and the application for childcare leave without pay for less than 6 months is limited to 2 times.

2021-06-04

The 2021 “Livelihood Subsidy Program for Self-employed Workers and Workers without a Certain Employer” was implemented to assist self-employed workers or workers without a certain employer who are affected by the epidemic and meet the eligibility criteria for the subsidy. A subsidy of NT$30,000 per person is available to workers whose monthly insured salary does not exceed NT$24,000 (inclusive). For workers whose monthly insured salary exceeds NT$24,000 (i.e., monthly insured salary of NT$25,200 or more), qualifying applicants will receive a subsidy of NT$10,000. In order to implement the principle of simplifying subsidies and speeding up the approval process as instructed by Su Tseng-chang, Premier of the Executive Yuan, and to avoid clustering, those who already have dedicated accounts shall receive the subsidies directly through their designated bank accounts, and the review process should be simplified for new applicants. The Bureau of Labor Insurance of the Ministry of Labor Affairs uses the information of labor insurance to compare with the information from other government agencies. If the Bureau of Labor Insurance determines the applicant to qualify for the foregoing subsidy, it will be approved, and the workers do not need to apply for it.

2021-06-03

In view of the increasing severity of Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens (COVID-19), in order to stabilize labor-employee relations and reduce the impact of the epidemic on the livelihood of workers, the Ministry has actively planned and promoted new relief measures and, in accordance with Article 9, Paragraph 3 of the “Special Act for Prevention, Relief and Revitalization Measures for Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens”, amended and promulgated the “Regulations of the Ministry of Labor for Relief of Workers Affected by Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens” to strengthen the care for workers.

2021-05-31

The Ministry amended the “Implementation Guidelines for Legal Assistance to Administrative Agencies in Handling Labor Dispute Mediation” to expand the scope of subsidies to include cases in which workers have disputes with employers over unpaid wages or pensions, termination of labor contracts, and requests for mediation to restore employment relations. It is estimated that 300 cases of labor dispute mediation will be subsidized each year to help workers fight for their labor rights through legal assistance measures.

2021-05-28

In order to assist the insured units and the insured belonging to professional unions who are affected by the Severe Pneumonia with Novel Pathogens (COVID-19) epidemic, the Bureau of Labor Insurance of the Ministry of Labor will implement a 6-month deferment period for labor employment insurance premiums and labor pension contribution payments from 05 28, 2021 to November 30 of the same year, with the deferment months being from 04 to September 2021. Payment 05 be deferred for six months from the date of expiration of the grace period (limited payment), and the late payment fee is waived during the deferment period. The relevant application forms and Q&A are available on the Bureau's website for downloading, filling out, and referencing insured units and occupational union insured persons.

2021-05-27

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Ministry of Labor, in consultation with the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, amended the “Food Delivery Platform Delivery Staff (pick-up and delivery) Epidemic Prevention Measures” to require platform operators to improve epidemic prevention and control measures, provide sufficient epidemic prevention materials to delivery staff, and urge delivery staff themselves and consumers ordering food to cooperate in implementing epidemic prevention measures.

2021-05-24

The Ministry has reported to the Executive Yuan on the draft amendments to some of the provisions of the “Act of Gender Equality in Employment”. The main points of the amendment include the extension of pregnancy checkup leave from 5 days to 7 days, and the addition of 2 days of salary, which will be borne by the government; workers employed in units staffed by under 30 personnel can also negotiate with their employers to apply flexible working hours; and the relaxation of the regulations on parental leave without pay so that parents can apply for parental leave without pay at the same time.

2021-05-21

The proposed amendment to Article 19-2 of the Employment Insurance Act was submitted to the Executive Yuan for review, removing the requirement that parents who are both insured cannot apply for parental leave without pay at the same time, so that the application method for the allowance can better meet the actual needs of the insured and encourage both parents to share the responsibility of caring for their children. The Executive Yuan submitted the draft to the Legislative Yuan for consideration on July 2, 2021.

2021-05-20

The Workforce Development Agency and WorldSkills UK signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Our country will work together with WorldSkills UK to deepen technical vocational education and pursue the development of skills excellence.

2021-05-20

The Ministry announced amendments to “the scope of application of the second proviso of Article 34 of the Labor Standards Act”, which became effective on 05 20, 2021.

2021-05-20

The Ministry announced amendments to “Industries as Defined under Article 36, Paragraph 4 of the Labor Standards Act”, which became effective on 05 20, 2021.

2021-05-20

20 ~ 27.05. 2021 The 46th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) meeting and the Labor and Social Protection Network (LSPN) meeting were held by video conference. The topics discussed included amendments to the HRDWG document, updates on the progress of labor and social security in each economy, descriptions of advocacy activities, and policy discussions on the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups and corresponding response measures. The Ministry of Labor explained the legislative highlights of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, the results of the 2020 Initiative, and the 2021 Initiative Plan.

2021-05-20

20.05 ~ 19.06.2021 The 109th International Labour Conference (ILC) was held in three stages by video, the first being the opening session on 05 20, 2021, and the second being the plenary session of the Conference from 05 28 to 06 19, 2021, including committee breakout sessions, the International Day Against Child Labor Forum, and the World of Work Summit, which released a number of documents and reports. The conference focused on the work-related impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the concept of the ILO Centennial Declaration “Putting People First” and calling for sustainable and inclusive global responses to the epidemic to reduce global economic and social harm in the long term.

2021-05-19

In view of the escalation of the COVID-19 pandemic situation both internationally and domestically, the validity period of the permission letters for the introduction of foreign workers held by employers were automatically extended for three months without requiring an additional application, provided that they expire between December 16, 2020 and March 16, 2021 and between 05 19, 2021 and September 30, 2021.

2021-05-17

In response to the elevation of the national epidemic alert to Level 3, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched a workplace epidemic prevention and inspection program for high-risk business establishments, targeting high-risk industries such as hi-tech manufacturing plants, long-term care facilities, chain stores, large food franchises, cleaning services, waste removal, food delivery platforms, warehousing and logistics, and businesses that employ foreign workers (including foreign workers' dormitories) to strengthen inspection and supervision and to protect the health and safety of workers.

2021-05-14

The Ministry amended and promulgated Article 13-1 of the “Guidelines for the Organization Regulations on Employee Welfare Committee” to add that the Employee Welfare Committee 05 handle home-based child care services to encourage companies to provide child care services according to the needs of their employees.

2021-05-11

The Ministry held a ceremony to inaugurate the “Workplace Reintegration Service Management Center” and to sign the “Memorandum of Understanding for the Trial Project of Workplace Rehabilitation Assistance for Workers Affected by Occupational Accidents”, inviting senior officials and representatives of labor unions from CPC Corporation and Taiwan Power Company to participate in the ceremony to help integrate workplace rehabilitation services and establish related service guidelines.

2021-05-06

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of Taiwan and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) held the 1st Taiwan-EU Occupational Safety and Health Cooperation Meeting via video conference. This opened a new chapter of strategy and technology exchange, focusing on “Workplace Safety and Health Protection for Workers in the Platform Economy” and “Worker Protection and Reconstruction Services System in Occupational Disasters”.

2021-05-04

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor convened a meeting of the “Working Group on Technical Evaluation of the Appropriateness of the Crane Manufacturers Association of America CMAA 70-2020 for Fixed Crane Inspection Standards” to compare and evaluate the relevant norms and standards, make recommendations on the conclusions, and submitted the study report to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Ministry for reference.

2021-05-03

Amended Article 2 of the “Regulations for the Deliberation of Basic Wage”, with immediate effect, to specify that the ratio of either gender of the members of the Basic Wage Deliberation Committee shall not be less than one-third, so as to implement the concept of gender equality.

2021-04-30

The “Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act” was enacted and promulgated to integrate the provisions of the Occupational Accident Insurance Act and the Occupational Accident Labor Protection Act in the form of a special law, and to expand the coverage, enhance the benefits, and integrate the occupational accident prevention and reconstruction business, so as to improve the overall occupational accident protection system. The date of implementation shall be determined by the Executive Yuan.

2021-04-30

The Ministry clarified that “Construction projects with approved incentives for private investment” in “Article 17-1, Paragraph 1, Paragraph 2 of Article 46, Paragraph 1, Paragraphs 8 to 11” of the Employment Service Act refers to the construction projects with approved incentives for private investment that can promote social welfare, provide public use or create national employment after completion, and are approved by the competent authority for the purpose.

2021-04-29

To commemorate Labor Day, the Ministry held the “2021 Labor Day and National Model Worker Award Ceremony” at the Regent Hotel in Taipei on 04 29, 2021, to recognize the efforts and contributions of workers and foreign workers to national development and social economy.

2021-04-28

The Workforce Development Agency of the Ministry of Labor held the “Asia-Pacific Health Care Worker Skills Enhancement Workshop” under the theme “Innovation and Cross-Disciplinary Grasp of New Trends in Health Care Services”, by utilizing international video conferences and domestic physical participation. Experts and scholars from home and abroad were invited to discuss the cross-disciplinary integration of technology innovation in health care services, the use of digital skills, and education on the functions of using technological aids for vocational education. The purpose is to promote the internationalization of workforce development and strengthen the exchange and cooperation of vocational training and health care industry talents.

2021-04-28

The Ministry amended and promulgated changes to Article 29 of the “Labor Insurance Act”, which allows the opening of a special account for either labor insurance annuity or various other lump-sum benefits, which will not be subject to seizure, guarantee or enforcement, and can strengthen the protection of the basic economic security of disadvantaged workers or beneficiaries. The amendments came into effect on 04 30, 2021.

2021-04-28

In order to facilitate the participation of workers or labor unions in the investigation procedures of labor misconduct cases, the Ministry has promulgated the “Trial Guidelines for Investigation Procedures of Labor Misconduct Judgments by Video Conference”, and will conduct the investigation procedures of judgment cases by video conference from 05 1 to December 31, 2021.

2021-04-23

The Ministry defined “Special Vehicle Driver of the Judicial Yuan” as a worker under Article 84-1 of the Labor Standards Act.

2021-04-23

“Real estate appraisers employed by the market credit industry” are defined as workers under Article 84-1 of the Labor Standards Act.

2021-04-23

In conjunction with the “2021 International Conference on Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine”, the “National Workplace Safety and Health Week” was held simultaneously, inviting top experts and scholars from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, occupational health and medical fields, and international experts from Japan, Korea, the United States, and Australia to join the event by video conference, and encouraging business units to actively create a friendly working environment and jointly improve the standard of occupational safety and health in Taiwan.

Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-Chun, Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Tzou Tzu-lien, Chairperson of the Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Ho Jiune-Jye, former President of the Control Yuan Chang Po-Ya, and guests at the “National Workplace Safety and Health Week Kick-Off Event”

2021-04-13

The Institute of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor assisted the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection of the Ministry of Economic Affairs to hold the 11th meeting of the “National Technical Committee on Civil Engineering and Construction” in 2021. The  topics discussed include: “Public comments say that as scaffolding in Taiwan is too low, raising the possibility of labor injuries. It is suggested that CNS 4750 steel pipe construction frames should be amended to a height of more than 185cm.”

2021-04-12

Organized the 1st meeting of the “2021 Children and Youth Occupational Safety and Health Rights Task Force” and invited experts and representatives of relevant agencies to review a survey on the current labor situation, and requested the relevant ministries to expand the scope of the target population and revise the content of the survey.

2021-03-31

In conjunction with the online operation of the Data Exchange Platform run by the Administrative Enforcement Agency of the Ministry of Justice, the data required for enforcement action on the insured organization, or on those who are members of professional unions and fishermen’s unions and who have accumulated personal arrears, are now transmitted and handled through the Platform.

2021-03-31

Amendment and promulgation of the “Foreigners Change of Workplace Determination Standards for Foreigners Undertaking the Jobs Specified under Items 8-10, Paragraph 1, Article 46 of the Employment Service Act.” In order to coordinate with the “Qualifications and Criteria Standards for Foreigners Undertaking the Jobs Specified under Items 8-11, Paragraph 1, Article 46 of the Employment Service Act” and to promote major national public infrastructure projects, projects approved by the Executive Yuan can apply for hiring foreigners based on the approved ratio with regulations amended on the off-site deployment of foreign construction workers.

2021-03-29

In order to provide youth with diverse career assistance channels, the “Youth Career” employment consulting platform has been launched to serve 18- to 29-year-old youths since March 29, 2021. Professional employment consultants have been introduced and combined with a digital website to enable youths to receive answers to career and employment questions through video, text, voice, audio, and video content on their mobile devices.

2021-03-25

To celebrate the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Vocational Education and Training between Workforce Development Agency (WDA) of Ministry of Labor, and TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) and Thai-German Institute (TGI), the “Taiwan-Australia/Thailand -MOU Exchange Ceremony and Skills Transformation for Post-Pandemic Workforce International Forum” was organized by WDA on March 25 2021, to continue to drive digital transformation and the establishment of international cooperation and exchange platforms to promote the high-quality growth of vocational training systems in the Asia-Pacific region.

Vice Minister of Labor Lin San-quei and Shih Chen-Yang, Director General of the Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor in group photo with representatives from TDA (Australia) and TGI (Thailand), present and online delegations during the “Taiwan-Australia/Thailand-MOU Exchange Ceremony and Skills Transformation for Post-Pandemic Workforce International Forum.”

2021-03-22

Notice given on amendments made to Article 19 of the “Labor Union Act” in line with the lowering of the majority age in the Civil Law to 18, and amended the current requirement that union members who can be elected as union directors and supervisors must be “20 years old” to "be of majority age.” The amendments shall take effect on January 1, 2023.

2021-03-22

22-25.03.2021 Workshop on Working and Living Conditions for Fishers - Phase 3 Planning and Expert Meeting was held through video conference and was organized by Andriana Sukova, Deputy Director-General of the European Commission’s Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Directorate and Filip Grzegorzewski, the EU Representative in Taiwan and Head of European Economic and Trade Office. Vice Minister of Labor Lin San-quei and Chen Tien-Shou, Deputy Minister of the Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan, jointly opened the ceremony.

2021-03-20

20-21.03.2021 The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (ILOSH) of the Ministry of Labor and Ergonomics Society of Taiwan jointly organized the “28th Ergonomics Society of Taiwan Annual Meeting and Conference”, where ILOSH presented 9 papers, including “Ergonomics and Interdisciplinary Worksite Musculoskeletal Hazard Prevention and Control” and “Ergonomics in Medicine.” The positive outcomes include improving the evaluation and improvement strategies of human and physical hazards in the workplace and promoting the research and development results of ILOSH.

2021-03-16

Convened the “Disaster Mitigation Meeting for Senior Executives of the Taiwan Railways Administration,” co-chaired by Chi Wen-Jong, Administrative Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications and Acting Director of the Taiwan Railway Administration, and Tzou Tzu-lien, Director-general of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the Ministry of Labor, and invited senior supervisors of relevant departments of the Taiwan Railways Administration to attend and discuss relevant disaster reduction strategies and improvement actions.

2021-03-11

Amendment to the “Common Principle of Calculation of Fines for Violations of Labor Standards Act ” by expanding the scope of applicable persons and organizations subject to increased penalties and other important provisions. The amendments shall come into effect on May 1, 2021.

2021-03-09

Amendment of “Article 45 of the Labor Standards Act regarding the determination criteria, review procedures, and other measures for determining the nature and environment of the work that will not do any harm to the worker’s mental and physical health, as well as work application forms for review of applicable subjects and corresponding review procedures.”

2021-03-01

The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor obtained a Taiwan utility model patent for its self-developed the “Intelligent Image Security Identification System.”

2021-02-26

The Ministry of Labor allocated NT$22bn to supplement the labor insurance fund and increase its income flow.

2021-02-23

In accordance with Point 4 of the Ministry of Labor’s “Standard Operating Procedures for the Designated Safety Inspection of Imported Dangerous Machines and Equipment” and the Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the Ministry of Labor’s “Operational Specifications of the Working Group for Technical Assessment of the Appropriateness of Foreign Standards for Hazardous Machinery or Equipment,” a working group meeting was convened to discuss and analyze the suitability of the “designated international standard ISO 11515 type II as the inspection standard for high-pressure gas containers.”

2021-02-22

Notice given on “Subsidy Program for Reemployment Assistance Measures for Middle-aged and Senior Citizens after Retirement,” “Subsidy Program for Hiring Retired Senior Citizens to Pass on Professional Skills and Experience,” “Subsidy for Local Governments to Set up Talent Service Base Program for Senior Citizens,” “Subsidy for Continued Employment of Senior Citizens” to implement measures related to the Middle-aged and Elderly Employment Promotion Act , and strengthen the use of human resources of middle-aged and senior citizens.

2021-02-22

Announcement of the “Pilot Plan for Job Redesign Service for Unilateral Hearing Impaired Persons” that provides redesigned job opportunities for hearing impaired persons who have not obtained a certificate of disability and who have a hearing threshold of 40 decibels or more on the impaired ear and a difference of more than 25 decibels from the hearing threshold of the normal ear. The pilot project will run until December 10, 2021.

2021-02-20

Revised and promulgated the “Technical Guidelines for Maternity Health Protection in the Workplace,” in line with the amendments to the “Regulations of the Maternity Health Protection at the Workplace ” in September 2020, to expand the scope of application and specify that institutions with more than 100 workers should provide for maternity health protection plans and strengthen tiered management measures.

2021-02-09

Notice is given on amendments to “Scope of Application of Proviso Clauses Article 34, Paragraph 2, of the Labor Standards Act,” which took effect on February 9, 2021.

2021-02-08

Convened the “2021 1st Quarter National Public Enterprise Disaster Reduction Inter-Ministerial Platform Meeting.”Members of the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan, and the Public Construction Commission of the Executive Yuan were invited to review the implementation status of disaster prevention work in public enterprises and public projects. Through inter-ministerial cooperation, it is hoped that the energy and momentum of disaster reduction work can be accelerated to effectively protect workers' workplace safety and well-being.

2021-02-03

The 3rd Taiwan-EU Labor Consultation was held by video conference, focusing on occupational safety and health issues. It was jointly opened by Joost Korte, Director-General of the EU Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Directorate, Taiwan Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-chun, and diplomatic representatives of both parties - Filip Grzegorzewski, the EU Representative in Taiwan and Head of European Economic and Trade Office and Ambassador Tsai Ming-yen of the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium.

 Minister Hsu Ming-chun led a delegation of officials from the Ministry of Labor to attend the 3rd Taiwan-EU Labor Consultation.

2021-01-20

Notice given of amendments to partial provisions of the “Regulations on Technician Skills Certification and Issuance of Certificates” to revise the relevant provisions such as the training qualifications of supervisors, the qualifications and conditions for participating in supervisory evaluation seminars, the upper limit of the number of experts recruited for creating question banks, and the extension of the qualification period of test supervisors due to non-human factors, so as to recruit talents to participate in skills verification supervision, evaluation, and question bank editing work.

2021-01-20

Notice is given of the amendments to partial provisions of the “Regulations for Technician Skills Certification Administration and Test Site,” mainly to amend the upper limit of the number of standard-setting personnel to recruit so as to expand industry participation. Further amendments were also made on relevant regulations on the refund of academic test fees to protect the rights of examinees who cannot participate due to certain reasons. The addition of supervisors and assessors in the Regulations allows them to monitor fieldwork and revise the relevant provisions of field rules for technical tests to match the adjustment of the technical test methods so that the skills certification can be synchronized with the industry needs.

2021-01-18

To reinforce the safety of year-end operations, the Ministry of Labor implemented a “Spring Festival Simultaneous Joint Safety Inspection,” urging the industry to strengthen disaster prevention measures for high-risk operations and comply with relevant regulations on overwork prevention. The inspection period lasted from January 18 to February 26, 2021. A total of 8,865 institutions were inspected, 274 work suspension orders were issued, and 945 fines were imposed. The fine amounted to NT$47.38mn.

2021-01-18

To enforce Chapter 3 of the “Regulations Governing Employment Enhancement of Unemployed Middle-Aged Persons and Elderly Persons” the Ministry of Labor gave notice that the “Key Points of Business Loans and Interest Subsidies for Unemployed Middle-aged and Senior Citizens” shall be issued to assist unemployed middle-aged and senior citizens in micro-entrepreneurship and promote employment.

2021-01-14

Amendment of Article 2 of the “Organizational Regulations for the Management Committee of the Wage Arrears Payment Fund of the Ministry of Labor”.

2021-01-14

Notice is given that “Practitioners Engaged in the Supply of International Marine Supplies” Are Approved as the Type of Workers Specified in Article 84-1 of the Labor Standards Act.

2021-01-08

08-22.01.2021 Implemented the “2021 Insured Person Hardship Loan Program under Labor Insurance,” benefiting 72,000 workers with total loans amounting to NT$7.5bn.

2021-01-04

By official announcement issued by the Ministry of Labor on December 23, 2020, interest rates for relief loans taken by the insured under the “Relief Loans for Workers” Program during 2018, 2019, and 2020 shall adopt an annual interest rate of 1.28% starting from the first business day of January 2021.

2021-01-04

In view of the high risk of occupational disasters in the construction industry, the Minister of Labor Hsu Ming-chun led a team to a large-scale construction site in Linkou District, New Taipei City to conduct spot labor inspections. During the inspection, Minister Hsu also declared 2021 as the “Year of Strengthening Prevention of Occupational Disasters in the Construction Industry,” requiring institutions to implement construction safety management and other disaster reduction measures.

Minister Hsu Ming-chun led a labor inspection team on a spot inspection tour and declared 2021 as the “Year of Strengthening Prevention of Occupational Disasters in the Construction Industry.”

2021-01-01

The minimum monthly wage in Taiwan increased from NT$23,800 to NT$24,000 effective from January 1 onwards. The “Table of Grades of Insured Salary” and the “Monthly Contribution Classification Table of Labor Pension” took effect on the same day. The 1st Grade of monthly insured wages for labor insurance was revised to NT$24,000. To protect the rights and interests of the insured, the insured person whose monthly insured wage was NT$23,800 in December 2020 (including full-time work, partial working hours, and low-income members of professional unions, persons with disabilities in sheltered employment, and insured persons trained by vocational training institutions), had their monthly wage adjusted to NT$24,000. This is expected to benefit more than 2.82 million workers. The monthly insured wage for labor pensions of workers, which was originally NT$23,800, has also been adjusted to NT$24,000, in total benefiting more than 1.11 million people.

2021-01-01

Since January 2021, labor insurance premiums (including employment insurance premiums, wage arrears payment fund withholding fees), labor pensions, and National Pension insurance premiums can be paid at the four major convenience stores, including 7-11, FamilyMart, Hi-Life, OK-Mart, etc. The maximum amount of each payment has been increased from NT$20,000 to NT$30,000.

2022-01-07

The MOL organized the 2022 "Spring Security Period Labor Inspection Enhancement Implementation Plan" to urge establishments to strengthen disaster prevention in high-risk operations and comply with the relevant regulations on overwork prevention. From January 7 to February 15, 8,667 establishments were inspected, 240 work suspension orders were issued, 900 fines were imposed, and the total amount in fines was $45.59 million.

2022 -01-11

The 19th Golden Wingspan Award winners were announced in recognition of their efforts to promote the employment of people with physical and mental disabilities and to encourage all other establishments to follow suit.

2022-01-15

The Workforce Development Agency of the MOL organized " The third Million Dollar Maker Arena ". After the preliminary rounds, mentorship sessions and finals, the Million-Dollar Prize Champion, the Best Makers' Innovation, the Best Practical Application, the Best Market Opportunity, and the Popularity Award were announced. The award ceremony and presentation of results were held at the South Tobacco Factory in the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park. Tsai Meng-Liang, Director-General of the Workforce Development Agency, presented the award to encourage people to maximize creativity and practice.