To achieve the goals of equality and non-discrimination in the workplace, the Ministry of Labor (MOL), in public-private partnership with disability groups, is promoting reasonable accommodation in the workplace, aiming to gradually implement the Administrative Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation in the Workplace for Persons with Disabilities, which took effect on July 1.

Reasonable accommodation, a core principle of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, is a new concept in Taiwan's workplaces. Its purpose is defined as "necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments not imposing a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Minister Hung Sun-Han emphasized that promoting reasonable accommodation in the workplace goes beyond merely establishing administrative guidance. The focus is on integrating reasonable accommodation into workplaces. The MOL will collaborate with disability groups through public-private partnerships by leveraging their advocacy to facilitate negotiations between employers and employees, introduce government resources, and create successful case studies. The accumulation of such cases will gradually establish a friendly environment for reasonable accommodation in the workplace.

The administrative guidance is not limited to those with disability certificates. It may also be applied to workers who do not have disability certificates but have genuine needs and can provide documentary evidence of their disability. Additionally, the guidance reminds employers to engage in dialogue and assess solutions when persons with disabilities request accommodation.

The MOL is also coordinating with local governments to establish contacts for consultation and guidance on reasonable accommodation in the workplace. When there are questions or lack of consensus between employers and employees on adjustment requests, the government facilitates negotiations to find feasible solutions and helps employers utilize resources such as job redesign subsidies, workplace learning and adaptation programs, and on-the-job training to ensure smooth implementation of reasonable accommodation.

The administrative guidance, manuals, and online teaching materials will be made into audio, Braille, and easy-to-read versions, and will gradually made available at the Reasonable Accommodation in the Workplace for Persons with Disabilities section of the MOL website for the use of more companies and people with disabilities.

Keywords: Reasonable Accommodation, Administrative Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation in the Workplace for Persons with Disabilities, Contacts for Consultation and Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation in the Workplace

To strengthen support for the families of workers who die due to occupational injuries or illnesses, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) has amended the regulations for offering condolence payment. The condolence payment for families of workers who die from occupational injuries or illnesses will be increased from NT$100,000 to NT$200,000, which applies from July 1, 2025. This adjustment addresses inflation and rising costs of living, providing more substantial and immediate assistance to affected families.

When a worker tragically dies due to an occupational injury or illness, their family face a sudden emotional and financial burden. To help families through this difficult time, the MOL offers proactive care and a condolence payment. The payment has been NT$100,000 per case since 2002, remaining unchanged for over 20 years. In consideration of recent increases in living costs and adjustments to disability benefits and care subsidies, the condolence payment has now been raised.

The MOL notes that this condolence payment is a kind of social assistance. Many local governments have similar condolence payment systems, though the amounts provided vary. To ensure consistent basic support for all families of workers who die from occupational injuries or illnesses, the payment has been standardized at NT$200,000, the aim being to provide emergency relief and emotional stability.

Moving forward, the MOL will continue to review and improve protection systems and measures to safeguard the rights of workers injured or ill due to an accident at work and help stabilize both their lives and the lives of their families.

Keywords: Occupational Accidents, Condolence Payment for Families of Workers Who Die due to Occupational Injuries or Illnesses, Care for Workers Who Die from Occupational Injuries or Illnesses

To help companies build friendly workplaces, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) encourages the promotion of work-life balance through diverse strategies, including advocacy, counseling, subsidies, and commendation. These efforts aim to guide companies in emphasizing employee care and assistance and implementing measures to promote work-life balance.

To promote the work-life balance concept, the MOL regularly organizes informational seminars and training, to which it invites outstanding companies and real-world experts to share their experiences and methods for advancing work-life balance. The programs enhance companies' ability to plan employee-friendly measures. Additionally, to assist companies in developing employee-friendly initiatives, the MOL facilitates expert on-site counseling in which it matches companies with experts who assess organizational culture and employee needs to establish assistance systems.

To further support companies in promoting work-life balance, the MOL provides subsidies for companies to organize stress management lectures for employees, employee care and support programs, family days, parenting workshops, and family activities. These initiatives help companies support the physical and mental health of employees, balance responsibilities between work and family, and create a warm, friendly workplace. The MOL also bestows the Work-Life Balance Award to evaluate and recognize benchmark companies. By promoting employee-friendly concepts and examples, the award encourages more companies to adopt and promote initiatives that advance work-life balance.

Since 2014, the MOL has held 288 advocacy seminars, training 30,206 company representatives in professional skills. It has subsidized over 4,200 companies to implement measures for work-life balance, benefiting nearly 1 million employees and their families. The MOL has also compiled real-world experience into the Work Life Balance promotion handbook and the Employee Assistance Programs handbook for businesses to reference and learn from.

The MOL urges companies to prioritize the work-life balance of employees and encourages them to utilize the ministry's resources and information so that together, they can create a workplace that fosters real employee happiness and well-being. For details on training programs and subsidy resources, visit the Work-Life Balance section of the MOL website (https://wlb.mol.gov.tw) or call the hotline at 02-3343-1150.

Keywords: Work-Life Balance, Work-Life Balance Subsidies, Friendly Workplace

Mr. Mario NAVA, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL), European Commission, led a delegation to Taiwan and co-hosted the EU-Taiwan Bilateral Meeting and 6th EU-Taiwan Labor Consultation with the Ministry of Labor (MOL) on July 14, 2025. The meeting marked the first time since 2018 that a Director-General has led an EU delegation, and the first visit by a European Commission Director-General to Taiwan since 2015, demonstrating the EU's support and commitment to labor cooperation with Taiwan.

During the bilateral meeting, the MOL expressed interest in future cooperation on combating forced labor and fostering skills development. The DG EMPL emphasized strengthening protections for distant-water fishers' rights and said that they would continue exchanges on issues of shared interest through the EU-Taiwan Labor Consultation.

For this meeting, the DG EMPL invited representatives from European social partners in the fisheries industry, including the European Transport Workers' Federation and the Pelagic Freezer Trawler Association. The MOL also invited Taiwan's Fisheries Agency, Ministry of Agriculture, and local civil society groups focused on distant-water fishers' rights and social dialogue, such as the Taiwan Confederation of Trade Unions, Rerum Novarum Center, Stella Maris Kaohsiung, Taiwan Squid & Saury Fisheries Association, and the Pingtung Migrant Fishers Union (FOSPI-PMFU). Discussions centered on measures and recommendations to improve the work environment for distant-water fishers and fostered dialogue and cooperation between the industry and fishers.

Keywords: European Union, Labor Consultation, Decent Work

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Taiwan-OSHA) of the Ministry of Labor (MOL) and the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) held the 4th EU-Taiwan Occupational Safety and Health Cooperation Meeting on July 14, 2025. The event was inaugurated by Minister of Labor Hung Sun-Han and attended by Executive Director of EU-OSHA William Cockburn and his team, Head of the Occupational Safety and Health Unit of the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Charlotte Grevfors Ernoult, and representatives from Taiwan's OSHA, the Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, and industry stakeholders.

The meeting focused on three key topics: "Digitalization and Workplace Safety and Health," "Psychosocial Risks and Mental Health at Work," and "Work-Related Cardiovascular Diseases." Taiwan-OSHA presented case studies on the use of tech-based tools in the construction and manufacturing sectors, applications of generative AI in occupational safety and health, key provisions of the new section on workplace bullying prevention in the Occupational Safety and Health Act and follow-up measures, mechanisms for identifying and assisting in cases of occupation-related cerebrovascular and heart diseases, and the current status of occupational injury insurance benefits. EU-OSHA shared its human-centered technology adoption strategies, priority topics for the EU's Healthy Workplaces 2026-2028 campaign, and methods for identifying and assessing cardiovascular disease risk factors and developing prevention strategies.

This was the first time the cooperation meeting was held in person, with EU occupational safety and health experts invited to Taiwan as well as industry experts to share practical approaches. The exchange yielded many results. The ongoing platform is expected to facilitate the adoption of the EU's latest strategies and research, aiding Taiwan in planning future policies and systems while raising occupational safety and health standards.

Keywords: Digitalization and Workplace Safety and Health, Psychosocial Risks and Mental Health at Work, Work-related Cardiovascular Diseases

The Workforce Development Agency (WDA) of the Ministry of Labor (MOL) was awarded the 2025 Global HRD Award by the International Federation of Training and Development Organizations (IFTDO) for "Innovative Strategies for Regional Talent Development and Investment." As the only award-winning agency in Taiwan, the WDA demonstrates the long-term efforts of our public sector in talent development and receiving international recognition.

Established in 1972 in Geneva, Switzerland, the IFTDO is a global leader in HR development, with members from over 30 countries and more than 500,000 professionals from associations, businesses, and academic institutions. The IFTDO's Global HRD Awards attract competition from top HR development programs worldwide. The WDA's Kaohsiung-Pingtung-Penghu-Taitung Regional Branch won the Innovation in Practice Award for its innovative strategies for regional talent development and investment program. It also pioneered the Talent Development Center (TDC) in Taiwan, offering services such as "career development consultation for workers," "optimization of corporate HR systems," and "industry talent exchange." From a sustainable development perspective, it collaborates with businesses to establish systematic talent cultivation frameworks, enhancing employee skills and competitiveness. To date, it has served over 80,000 workers and more than 17,000 businesses.

The 2025 Global HRD Awards were presented on June 18 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Expressing gratitude for the recognition, the WDA stated that, amid global competition and the rapidly changing industry environment, it will continue leveraging local resources to promote talent investment services and foster sustainable development for businesses and workers.

Keywords: Talent Development Center, Talent Development, Talent Sustainability