On May 1, 2022, the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act was implemented to protect the occupational safety and security for front line workers in Taiwan in terms of the prevention of occupational accidents as well as post-occupational accident rehabilitation. This is a milestone for the establishment of an occupational accident insurance system for Taiwan.

According to the Ministry of Labor (MOL), the new law reinforces the rights of the workers and their family after undergoing an occupational accident. Aside from expanding the scope of inclusion as well as offering multiple additional insurance provisions so that every worker has a means to receive insurance settlements in the event of an occupational accident, the maximum and minimum monthly insurance salary have also been increased, which greatly improves the content and quality of insurance coverage. These improvements include paying 100% of the average monthly insurance salary for the first two months for the settlement of injury and disease, and also paying according to a fixed percentage of the average monthly insurance salary for the Permanent Disability Pension and Survivor Pension to secure the livelihoods of workers recently employed or with shorter length of coverage and their families. Employers may also more effectively allocate the compensation liabilities for occupational accidents. In addition, a stable budget shall be allocated for the establishment of the Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation Center, which shall handle the prevention and rehabilitation affairs for occupational accidents, provide resources to employers on the prevention of occupational accidents, and establish a complete occupational accident insurance system by utilizing a complete case management service mechanism to add more incentives for both employers and employees to participate in the vocational rehabilitation. This would effectively connect the prevention work at the front end and the rehabilitation mechanism at the back end.

The MOL emphasizes that after the implementation of the new act, workers of all occupations and types of employment status may join occupational accident insurance in accordance with relevant regulations to ensure their safety at work. Furthermore, the MOL also urges employers to enroll their employees in accordance with the new law on top of fulfilling their existing occupational safety and health responsibilities so that workers will have insurance when they encounter occupational accidents. This will also allow corporations to build a healthy and safe working environment without concerns.

Keywords: Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, Occupational Accident Insurance, Occurrence of Occupational Accidents

On May 1, 2022, the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act (hereinafter referred as the Accident Insurance Act) was implemented to include more people in the scope of the insurance. For the purpose of providing a more convenient channel for filing insurance claims, the Bureau of Labor Insurance (BLI) now permits micro-enterprises with 4 employees or fewer to establish insured units online and administer the enrollments for employees, thereby securing the jobs and livelihoods of the employed workers.

In accordance with the Accident Insurance Act, workers employed by employers with practice licenses, legally registered employers, employers with tax registration, or employers who have an employment permit issued by the central competent authority are mandatory insured targets of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance (hereinafter referred as Occupational Insurance). Employers shall fill out the enrollment form and submit it to the BLI for the purchase of insurance before the employee's first day of work. Furthermore, even though micro-enterprises of 4 employees or fewer are considered voluntary insured units for Labor Insurance, they should still file to join the Employment Insurance and Occupational Insurance for their employees to comply with the regulations and avoid penalties.

The BLI provides easy and convenient channels for enrollment application. With effect from May 1, 2022, business units with 4 employees or fewer may, through the BLI's e-service system, apply for the registration of an insured unit for Employment Insurance and Occupational Insurance, using the MOEA Certification Authority IC Card and the citizen digital certificate of the responsible person, and administer the enrollments for their employees. On completing such online registration, the business unit will be considered an e-service insured unit. As for those companies which originally applied for the registration of an insured unit of employment insurance on paper, they may also apply for registration as an e-service insured unit and enjoy various online services. The BLI urged the insured units to make the best use of such services.

Furthermore, the BLI revised the underwriting application table, in which Occupational Insurance has now been integrated into the current all-in-one insurance table for Labor Insurance, Employment Insurance, Labor Pension, and National Health Insurance, and also added the dedicated form for Occupational Insurance. Insured units may download them at the "Table Download" section of the BLI website. To help employers and workers more easily understand the regulations related to Occupational Insurance, the BLI has created a dedicated zone for the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act on the BLI website for the perusal of the public.

Keywords: Labor Occupational Accident Insurance, BLI e-service System, Micro-Enterprises

The Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has been adjusting its disease prevention measures as a response to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Taiwan. The CDC announced the Home Care Management Guidelines for Patients with COVID-19 on April 8, 2022 in an effort to preserve the overall medical capacity of the country. Once a worker has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and the competent health authority has notified the patient to quarantine, the worker must take a mandatory sickness leave and stay at home for quarantine. During the quarantine period, patients are not allowed to go out for work even when they have no symptoms or the symptoms are mild.

The Regulations of Leave-Taking of Workers stipulate that ordinary sickness leave for injury and disease is divided into "non-hospitalized sickness leave for injury and disease" (no more than 30 days within one year) and "hospitalized sickness leave for injury and disease" (no more than one year in total within two years). Since COVID-19 patients who choose home quarantine or are being treated at designated units and facilities are not hospitalized, they would only be able to take the "non-hospitalized sickness leave" in accordance with the Regulations, and the number of sick days they get may not cover their requirements. In consideration that such a predicament is due to compliance with the requirements of the CDC, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) announced a regulation explanation order on May 5, 2022 to clarify that for workers who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and have been requested by the competent health authority to undergo home quarantine or treatment at designated units, facilities, or hospitals starting from April 8, 2022, the number of sick days for those workers shall be considered as sickness leave for hospitalization, injury, and disease. Employers shall approve the sickness leave in accordance with the law and may not deduct any full attendance bonuses that these workers may have been entitled to. This order is intended to help both employers and employees comply with disease prevention measures, thereby protecting the health of everyone.

Employers who have already issued salaries, or are about to issue salaries and cannot make the deadline to issue full attendance bonuses, should make retroactive payments as soon as possible. In the event of any disputes, please contact the local labor administrative competent authority (the Bureaus of Labor Insurance or Departments of Social Welfare of municipalities, counties, or cities) for assistance.

Keywords: COVID-19 Sickness Leave, Full Attendance Bonuses for COVID-19 Patients, Hospitalized Sickness Leave for Injury and Disease

To ensure the sustainable development of occupational safety and health as well as the post-occupational accident labor assistance service, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) established the Center for Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation (COAPRE) on April 29. The COAPRE is dedicated to fully comprehensive services of "prevention", "protection", and "rehabilitation" for companies and workers.

Since the President announced the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act on April 30, 2021, the MOL has been actively planning the establishment of the COAPRE. On April 29, 2022, witnessed by representatives from labor unions, experts, and scholars, the COAPRE officially began operations. Minister Hsu Ming-Chun of the MOL is serving as the first chairperson of the COAPRE, and according to her remarks at the opening of the COAPRE, it shall take on a leading role in the safety and health system of Taiwan as well as improve on-site guidance and professional technical services through international communication and working with government departments, teams, and enterprises. This will ensure that professional counseling and customized occupational rehabilitation services offered by a service network of occupational injury and disease treatment and rehabilitation created by the MOL can be provided to workers who have undergone an occupational accident, thereby helping them to regain their health and return to work.

CEO Lee Po-Chang of the COAPRE further stated that "139 for the Sustainability of Occupational Safety and Health" is the core value of the COAPRE. Going forward, the COAPRE shall provide 3 core aspects of services, namely prevention, protection, and rehabilitation. Nine major sustainable services will also be provided, including: I. Cultivation of a culture of occupational safety and health. II. Expansion of occupational safety and health care services for workers. III. Intrinsic safety management services. IV. On-site services for occupational health. V. Information integration for real-time assistance services. VI. One-stop case management services for workers who have suffered occupational accidents. VII. Treatment and care services for occupational injury and disease. VIII. Professional return to work planning services. IX. Subsidy system establishment services.

The establishment of the COAPRE represents a milestone for the occupational accident prevention and rehabilitation work of our country. Going forward, the COAPRE shall take on the responsibilities of the sustainable development of occupational safety and health as well as safeguarding the health of workers. The COAPRE shall actively promote the links and cooperation of resources and become a profession think-tank for enterprises on the promotion of a quality labor environment, thereby protecting the health and safety of workers.

Keywords: Center for Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation, Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, Occupational Accident Labor Assistance Services

On April 19, 2022, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) held the opening ceremony of the Kinmen Employment Service Center and the Occupational Training Office at Banglin Village of Kinmen County. Minister Hsu Ming-Chun, Legislator Chen Yu-Chen, County Mayor Yang Chen-Wu, CEO Weng Ming-Chih of the Kinmen-Matsu Joint Services Center of the Executive Yuan, Council Speaker Hung Yun-Tien, and other honorable guests attended the ceremony, witnessing this historical moment of creating new prospects for employment and work in the Kinmen region.

The opening ceremony began with an ukulele performance of "Wishes of the Wind Lion God" by a local ukulele band in Kinmen, signifying the faith and spirit of Kinmen, followed by a lion dance for good luck. According to Minister Hsu Ming-Chun, the Kinmen County Government has been assisting the Kinmen Employment Services in the year 2000 with the cultivation of employment services by lending the houses of Kinmen County Home to All for free, then the Kinmen Employment Services were upgraded to the Kinmen Employment Service Center. The Center has further expanded its services. To date, they have provided services to over 27,000 people in total. Aside from the employment service, the new offices will also be used as training centers for occupational training and test sites for skills competency tests. A dedicated counter for occupational training and skill testing services has also been set up to provide more convenient and diversified services to the citizens of Kinmen.

Divisional director Lin Jen-Chao of the Taipei Keelung Yilan Hualien Kinmen Matsu Division of the Workforce Development Agency of the MOL stated that, other than the original Reception, Employment Information, Job Seeking Services, Talent Seeking Services, and Consultation Services that the Kinmen Employment Service Center already provided, a Dedicated Zone for the Elders and a Dedicated Counter for the Youth were also added. Furthermore, for the implementation of "career development" as the core of the employment services, the "Career Information Zone" of the Youth Salon of the Taipei Keelung Yilan Hualien Kinmen Matsu Division of the Workforce Development Agency was introduced into physical service fields, thus assisting citizens with discovering their personal potential so that employment service agents may find a higher match rate for job seekers when recommending jobs, and may also plan a better career path for job seekers.

By upgrading the overall infrastructure and capabilities of the office, the Kinmen Employment Service Center integrates employment services, occupational training, and skill testing into a three-in-one service, providing a more convenient and higher-quality service to the citizens of Kinmen.

Keywords: Kinmen, Employment Service Center, Employment Services

On the afternoon of March 24, 2022, Taipei time, the Research Institute for Work and Society (HIVA) of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven) joined the Ministry of Labor (MOL) at the Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health of the MOL (hereinafter referred as ILOSH) and co-hosted the first Labor Policy Conference via video conference and in person.

The conference invited Vice Rector International Policy and Interculturality Peter Lievens of the KU Leuven, Ambassador Tsai Ming-Yen of the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium, and Deputy Minister Wang Shang-Chih of the MOL to attend and present opening remarks. Additionally, labor policy research experts and scholars from Belgium and Taiwan were also invited to share the current labor market statuses of both countries as well as to focus on the discussion of the changes and trends of the labor market as a result of the new emerging business models.

Conference agenda 1 was moderated by Research Manager Dr. Ezra Dessers of the HIVA, KU Leuven. Chen Wei-Lin, Associate Researcher of the Division of Labor Relations Research of ILOSH gave a speech on the "Labor Issues for Platform Workers". Dr. Kris Bachus, research manager of HIVA, KU Leuven gave a speech on "The Impact of Climate and Circular Economy Transitions on Jobs and Skills".

Conference agenda 2 was moderated by Director Lin Shih-Teng of the Division of Labor Market, ILOSH. Chen Li-Ping, Associate Researcher of the Division of Labor Market, ILOSH gave a speech on "Labor Market Manpower Trend Analysis-Labor Insurance Data Observations". Dr. Tim Goesaert, the Research Manager of the HIVA, KU Leuven, gave a speech on "Measuring Belgium Labor Market Dynamics Using Administrative Records".

Towards the end of the conference, Dr. Geert Van Hootegem, General Director of HIVA, KU Leuven and Dr. Ho Jiune-Jye, Chairperson of ILOSH, discussed recent important research issues via a one-on-one conversation. In their closing remarks, both directors thanked the experts and scholars who participated in this conference and hoped to meet again in person after the pandemic situation is improved and borders are re-opened. Ambassador Tsai of the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium also said that it's good to see that the two institutes already have concrete ideas for collaboration, and the Taipei Representative Office in the EU and Belgium will continue to assist the two institutes on the promotion of matters of collaboration. This drew the conference to a perfect end.

Keywords: Research Institute for Work and Society (HIVA) of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Labor Policy, Labor Market