TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) reported Monday (Dec. 16) a decrease in the number of companies implementing unpaid leave, now standing at 257 firms affecting 4,474 employees. This marks a reduction of 41 companies and 822 employees compared to Dec. 2, reflecting a positive trend in several industries. In an interview with Central News Agency (CNA, 中央社), an MOL official, Li I-hsuan (李怡萱), noted a significant decrease in the implementation of unpaid leave in the manufacturing, wholesale, and retail, accommodation, and food service industries.
In Taichung, a machine tool manufacturer ceased unpaid leave for 120 employees due to stabilized orders. A pharmaceutical and cosmetics wholesaler also stopped unpaid leave for about 50 employees. In Hualien, the number of companies implementing unpaid leave dropped to 69, affecting 617 people, a decrease of 197 individuals from the previous period. This includes 21 companies that ended unpaid leave.
Notably, a pastry business reduced unpaid leave for 39 employees, while the accommodation sector saw a reduction of 93 employees, indicating the effectiveness of government tourism subsidies. Li expressed optimism for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday in January, hoping for increased tourism to Hualien to further boost industry recovery. She also mentioned that overall reporting numbers remain stable, and the MOL will continue monitoring the situation in the second half of the year.
