NEW TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The New Taipei City Labor Affairs Department (新北市勞工局) on Wednesday (June 26) issued a list of companies that violated labor laws, with United Highway Bus Co., Ltd. (統聯客運) receiving the largest fine of NT$850,000 for excessive overtime. This marks the company's ninth violation since 2018, including a significant penalty of NT$1 million in 2019. The company, which employs 1,500 workers, has been cited almost annually for surpassing legal overtime limits.
Chang Hsiang-chi (張享琦) of the New Taipei City's Labor Standards Inspection Office noted that the bus company has been fined multiple times over the past five years. According to labor regulations, employees should not work more than 12 hours of overtime in a day or 46 hours a month, yet United Highway Bus Co. workers often exceed 49 hours. Despite ongoing issues, the company reported improvements since the pandemic began, attributing long hours and recruitment challenges to the demanding Taipei to Kaohsiung route and a shortage of drivers.
The third wave of labor law enforcement this year saw 334 businesses fined NT$19.52 million. The most common infractions included failing to pay for overtime, improperly recording work hours, and not providing legally mandated special leave.
