Civil servants in Taiwan struggle with excessive hours

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — An anonymous public servant recently revealed online that they have been working overtime for 110 to 180 hours monthly, indicating that the strain is unbearable and they are contemplating a career change, sparking widespread debate in Taiwan.

The outcry highlights a significant issue regarding working hours in Taiwan, where the average total monthly working time was 167.3 hours in 2022.

Lei Chen, the Director-General of the legal department at the Ministry of Civil Service, explained that civil servants can claim up to 20 hours of overtime pay per month under specific circumstances. Any hours beyond that can be converted into compensatory leave within a two-year period.

However, the constraints of the Local Government Act, which limits the staffing quota for municipal civil servants, have led to an increased workload with insufficient personnel.

The Civil Service Protection Act restricts public servants to no more than 60 hours of overtime per month or up to 80 hours for those with special job characteristics. Daily overtime should not exceed four hours and may only extend to six hours during major disasters.

In response to the issue, the Ministry of Civil Service has urged governmental agencies to reevaluate their work distribution and streamline processes to reduce the pressure on front-line staff. This call to action stresses the need for better workload management to ensure the well-being of Taiwan's civil service workforce.

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