TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) firmly rejected allegations Thursday (April 24) of requiring staff to submit documents during late-night hours, calling the accusations unfounded and regrettable. The ministry issued its response after Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party, Legislator Liao Wei-hsiang (廖偉翔) publicly claimed that the ministry and its affiliated agencies were forcing employees to work excessive hours by demanding document submissions well beyond normal working time.
The legislator's accusations carried particular weight as they referenced a recent civil servant suicide, implying the ministry was perpetuating harmful workplace practices despite previous tragedies. In response, the MOL presented detailed timestamp evidence contradicting these claims. Records showed the ministry's headquarters submitted 27 documents during standard afternoon hours on Wednesday, between 3:27 p.m. and 4:19 p.m. Similarly, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (職安署) processed 16 documents within regular business hours, from 4:03 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
Further data from other labor agencies reinforced the ministry's defense. The Workforce Development Agency (發展署) documented 20 submissions during the late afternoon period between 4 p.m. and 5:13 p.m. The Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health (勞安所) processed 5 documents within standard hours, from 3:11 p.m. to 4:53 p.m. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Labor Funds (基金局) submitted just 2 documents in the early afternoon between 2:50 p.m. and 2:56 p.m., while the Bureau of Labor Insurance (勞保局) processed 6 documents from early evening Wednesday through early morning Thursday.
The ministry emphasized that virtually all document processing fell within their established working hours of 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with only minimal activity outside this window. In a pointed response to the allegations, MOL officials called on legislators to thoroughly verify information before making public accusations that could damage institutional reputations and create needless public concern. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions between Taiwan's governing and opposition parties over labor practices and government accountability. ★
