The Ministry of Labor (MOL) implemented the "Youth Employment Investment Program" from 2019 to 2022 in order to support youth employment, helping a total of 750,000 youths find employment. The unemployment rate of young people aged between 15 and 29 was 8.38% in 2022, the lowest level since the financial crisis of 2009. Starting in May 2023, the MOL initiated stage 2 of the "Youth Employment Investment Program" in response to future industry development trends and the employment situation faced by youths. Resources from 11 governmental organizations (3 organizations were included for the first time: the Ministry of Digital Affairs, National Science and Technology Council, and Financial Supervisory Commission) were consolidated to propose 5 major goals, 12 strategies, and 48 measures. An investment of NT$16 billion is expected from 2023 to 2026 in order to assist 800,000 youths with employment.

Strategically, the first stage of the program is centered on 4 key aspects, namely industry trends, skill development, employment services, and career planning. The second stage focuses on issues such as youth career development, supply-demand of labor, youth unemployment, youth wages, and atypical employment to propose the 5 major goals and strategy measures: "set orientation", "talent increase", "promote employment", "strive for good wages", and "full-time transition". Performance indicators increased from 2 to 8 items.

In terms of the measures taken in the second stage of the program, the implementation of 26 measures performing well in stage one shall be continued while revising 16 measures and adding 6 new measures. New measures added by the MOL include: enhance the college youth pre-hiring program, initiate support measures for the youths seeking employment and the employment of atypical youths, assist youths in entering key industries, obtaining technical licenses in key industries, rewards for stable employment, and interdepartmental strengthening of assistance for young entrepreneurs.

Youths are the driving force behind a nation's sustainable development and innovative reforms. By assisting with the career development and cultivation of youths and guiding them into key industries to accumulate professional skills through collaboration from departmental resources, stable employment can be provided to young people in Taiwan. For details about the program, please visit the Taiwan Jobs website.

Keywords: Youth Employment Investment Program, Youth Employment, "Set Orientation, Talent Increase, Promote Employment, Strive for Good Wages, Full-Time Transition"

The Ministry of Labor (MOL) amended and promulgated Article 9 of the Regulations of Leave-Taking of Workers on May 1, 2023 to stipulate an employer shall not deduct full-attendance bonus payment in the case of a miscarriage after being pregnant for less than three months, when the worker takes ordinary sickness leave without taking maternity leave. The amendment took effect on May 3, 2023.

The MOL stated that the Act of Gender Equality in Employment provides maternity leave of 8 weeks, 4 weeks, 1 week and 5 days for "before and after childbirth", miscarriage after being pregnant for "more than 3 months", "over 2 months and less than 3 months" and "less than 2 months" respectively. The computation of wage during the maternity period should be in accordance with related laws and regulations. For workers who are governed by the Labor Standards Act, the law requires paid maternity leave of 8 and 4 weeks.

The MOL further states that in the past, if female workers suffered a miscarriage within 3 months of their pregnancy, those who take 1 week or 5 days of maternity leave in accordance with the Act of Gender Equality in Employment do not receive paid leave according to provisions. However, provisions in Paragraph 2, Article 21 of the Act of Gender Equality in Employment state that the employer may not treat it as a non-attendance and affect the full-attendance bonus. If female workers choose not to take maternity leave and instead opt for ordinary sickness leave during the above-mentioned days and periods, 50 percent of wage should be paid, in the case of ordinary sick leave not exceeding 30 days in one year. But in the past, it was not expressly stipulated whether employers could deduct the full-attendance bonus for this reason.

The MOL stated that, to carry out the spirit of Maternity Protection of the Constitution, the MOL shall refer to the meaning of Paragraph 2, Article 21 of the Act of Gender Equality in Employment and amend Article 9 of Regulations of Leave-Taking of Workers. In future, when female workers take ordinary sickness leave in the case of a miscarriage after being pregnant for less than three months, the amendment will guarantee their right to the full-attendance bonus. If the full-attendance bonus is deducted by the employer, which is verified after investigation by the local competent authority of labor, the employer shall be subject to fines between NT$20,000 and NT$ 1 million.

Keywords: Maternity Leave, Miscarriage, Full-Attendance Bonus

In response to the incident in Taichung in which an old home collapsed during construction on March 30, 2023, and caused the death of three workers, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) expressed that if any injured workers are verified to have been hired by a registered business unit, their family members will receive benefit claims from the "occupational accident insurance for laborers" (hereinafter referred to as the "occupational accident insurance"). Additionally, to ensure employers fulfill their responsibility for insurance payments in accordance with the law, the Bureau of Labor Insurance will fine violating employers an amount from NT$20,000 to NT$100,000 as well as recover the amount of insurance benefits received by uninsured workers from the employer.

The MOL elaborated that according to Articles 6 and 13 of the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act (OAIP Act), which was implemented on May 1, 2022, when registered business units hire employees, regardless of the number of hired workers, the employer shall include its workers in occupational accident insurance; the worker insurance shall take effect upon their first day or upon reporting for duty. If employers do not insure employees in accordance with the law, workers are still eligible for various insurance benefits in the event of any incidents relating to occupational injuries or diseases that may occur in the future. Also, if workers are not hired by a registered business unit, or have not participated in occupational accident insurance due to being self-employed, Article 81 of the OAIP Act provides clear provisions for benefits relating to care, disability, or death subsidy of uninsured workers.

The MOL emphasizes that it is an enterprise's responsibility to ensure occupational health and safety by providing every employee with a safe and secure work environment. The MOL also urges employers to comply with the OAIP Act by providing occupational accident insurance to employees, thereby ensuring workers receive comprehensive guarantees as well as distribute the claims liability for the compensation of occupational accidents. This way, employers will not violate the law and nor will they end up losing more than they would have gained from unlawful actions.

Keywords: Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act, Workers Reporting for Duty, Occupational Accident Benefits

On April 27, 2023 Premier Chen Chien-Jen attended the "Make Taiwan Better Together - 2023 National Model Worker Award" organized by the Ministry of Labor (MOL) to personally recognize 56 model workers and migrant workers for their efforts and contributions to national development, society, and the economy. Premier Chen offered the government's highest respect and gratitude and before beginning the ceremony, the venue observed 1 minute of silence for the 7 workers who died in the fire at the Changhua Plant of Lien Hwa Industrial Corp. on April 25.

The MOL stated that the 56 workers receiving the 2023 award are employed in the traditional manufacturing industry, high tech industry, transportation, healthcare industry, public services industry, and the film and television industry, as well as specialized workers in the handicrafts industry, restaurant industry, and ceramic glaze industry. Additionally, there were others from diverse fields such as labor union leaders who voiced the concerns of workers, union workers, and migrant workers in industries and social welfare. The event showcased the professional contributions and exceptional performance of workers in their roles across different industries. This myriad of workers across varying industries make up our social fabric. In the future, the MOL will continue to strive for the implementation of laws, regulations, and policies that meet worker's needs as we stand steadfast as the shield that protects workers across the nation.

Keywords: Model Worker, Model Migrant Worker, Award Ceremony

On May 11, 2023, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) and Ministry of Culture (MOC) of Taiwan convened a "Meeting of Bilateral Ministers - Joining to Build Sound Working Environments for the Film and Television Industry" co-hosted by Ministers Hsu Ming-Chun and Shih Che. The meeting discussed the occupational health and safety and labor rights of film crews, and planned labor inspection practices and their execution. Both parties expressed commitment to continue their supervision of safety management in the film and television industry, declaring that the government's agencies would collaborate and assist the industry with establishing safe work environments.

Minister Hsu Ming-Chun stated that the special work circumstances of the film and television industry and outdoor filming requires the setup of lighting and film equipment, installation and transport of power generating equipment, and the setup of film sets. These types of work include potential occupational safety hazards such as falling, electrical shocks, burns, trapping hazards, slip, and volatile organic solvents. Therefore, in 2022, the MOL revised the "Occupational Accident Prevention Guideline for the Film and Television Industry" and collaborated with the MOC to advocate for health, safety, and labor rights while implementing an occupational hazard preventative program to inspect high risk filming areas and remind film production units to adopt hazard prevention measures. Also, the revised guideline strengthened inspections of occupational safety and labor conditions to protect the safety and labor rights of workers in the film and television industry.

The MOL stated that through this meeting of bilateral ministers, both ministries agreed to establish a regular two-way communication mechanism. The MOC will regularly manage the results of labor inspections and their handling for the film and television industry to supervise and support improvements to the work environments and labor rights of film and television workers. In the future, collaboration between both ministries will become closer to support the implementation of sound health and safety management systems in the film and television industry, ensure film production units comply with labor laws, and establish a sound labor environment in the film and television industry.

Keywords: Film and Television Industry, Outdoor Filming, Occupational Accident Prevention

In mid-May of 2021, Taiwan's epidemic alert for COVID-19 was raised to level 3, causing many enterprises to implement remote work. The Ministry of Labor (MOL) and the Institute of Labor, Occupation Safety, and Health ("Institute of Labor Safety") conducted the study "A Preliminary Exploration of the Health Impacts of Working from Home" in order to understand the physical and mental health implications of working from home for supervisors and employees. A total of 502 questionnaires were collected from 11 domestic businesses, and the results showed that during periods of remote work, the amount of vegetable intake was 63% (compared to 47% when working in the office), an increase of 16 percentage points. Fruit intake was 60% (compared to 40% when working in the office), an increase of 20 percentage points. 74.5% of people working remotely slept an average of 6 hours or more per day (compared to 62.75% when working in the office), an increase of 11.75 percentage points. 48.7% of people working remotely conducted 4 hours or more of video conference meetings per day (compared to 24.7% when working in the office), an increase of 24 percentage points. In work from home environments, 56.6% of subjects used laptop computers and more than 25% felt they suffered from noise interference. 21.7% expressed that their eyes often or always felt fatigued. In both office work and remote work, the scores for musculoskeletal discomfort were highest for individuals who sit while leaning forward. In terms of mental health for those working from home, women exhibited slightly higher scores in mild mental distress compared to men. Those aged between 40-49 and 50-59 who have families to care for, live with their families, or are married scored higher in the area of work-family conflicts. Only 15.3% of remote work subjects believed that "working remotely feels great". More than 40% of subjects preferred working in the office and felt that remote work was merely a necessary supplementary work method. The Institute of Labor Safety compiled a "Physical and Mental Health Protection Manual for Remote Workers" to provide self-health assessment tools for the health and safety of workers working from home.

Keywords: Work from Home, Physical and Mental Health, Protection