TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Labor announced Wednesday (Nov. 8) that 364 companies have implemented reduced work shifts, impacting 9,809 employees.
In its report, the ministry added that four manufacturing firms had halted or prematurely ended these initiatives due to urgent orders stretching current staffing levels.
Among all sectors, the manufacturing industry showed the highest numbers of companies and employees affected by reduced work hours, with 203 businesses and 8,791 individuals, respectively.
Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment Director Huang Wei-chen pointed out that, typically, large-scale businesses are the first to cease these initiatives when economic conditions improve.
Echoing his sentiments, Huang revealed that several entities employing around 100 to 200 people each have gradually discontinued such strategies, predicting that the number of companies implementing unpaid leave may decrease by year's end or early next year.
This glimpse into labor conditions in Taiwan highlights the fragile equilibrium between ensuring employee welfare and meeting business requirements, a balance made even more precarious under the shadow of current economic uncertainties.
As companies navigate these complex dynamics, the Ministry of Labor continues its broad oversight of work policies, striving to protect workers while encouraging robust industrial performance.
