Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor is proposing major amendments to the Employment Services Act to strengthen migrant workers’ safety and rights – and stop inappropriate practices by employers and employment agents.
The ministry is gauging public opinions till the end of October, and hopes that amendments can be processed by the Legislative Yuan early next year, the Taiwan Times reported.
Among the changes being drafted, employers or employment agents would be strictly forbidden from withholding any identity documents of foreign workers, including residential permits or national passports. Temporary possession of such items would only be permitted if there were strong reasons, such as arranging health check-ups or lodging application documents for migrant workers.
First-time offenders would face a fine of between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000, while repeated offenders – convicted four times or more of the same charge – would have to shut down their business operation for up to a year. Employers might also be banned from hiring foreign workers in the future.
Employers or employment agents convicted of serious offenses against workers, such as sexual assault, sexual harassment, human trafficking, offenses that infringe on a person’s freedom, grievous bodily harm or murder, individuals could be fined between NT$300,000 and NT$1.5 million, and their business license could be withdrawn.
Employers convicted of these criminal offenses would not be allowed to hire foreign workers for up to five years – their hiring permit would be immediately scrapped. Serious repeat offenders would permanently prohibited from hiring workers in the future.
Employment agencies would also be responsible for reporting suspected abusive employers – within 24 hours – to police, immigration officials or any concerned government authorities. Agencies that failed in do so would be fined NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 and would have to shut their businesses for up to a year.
The ministry also wants a major increase in the fines for those convicted of operating illegal employment agencies – from NT$100,000 to NT$500,000. A further fine of NT$300,000 to NT$1.5 million could be imposed, depending on the number of illegal workers. Repeat offenders would face up to five years in prison, or a fine up to NT$2.4 million.
Lastly, employers who hire runaway workers would be fined from NT$150,000 to NT$750,000, depending on the number of illegal workers involved.
Why some employer didnt allowed their worker to have a day off atleast once a month
How about employers prohibiting foreign workers to go outside or having a curfew @ 12noon? Dormitory curfew must also remove
than why my boss keep my passport.i want to sue my agent here in taiwan they didnt fallow the rule which they implement in the contract
yes…hopefully
This november, but i forgot the exact date that we all foreign workers must support by showing ourselves at EXECUTIVE YUAN in taipei to convience thier govt that we all support in abolishing brokers fee…
That is why we as foreign workers should support the govt plans to abolish brokers who hardened our contract here in taiwan by collecting fees in a way of showing support to all NGO’s who pursue in this matter.
the employer or the company should be obliged to pay the brokers and even the medical…we work hard sometimes the company didn’t pay the overtime yet Workers had a lots of deductions from the salart.. we’res the justice here??hopefully the Taiwan labor will attention to this…..
they run away because they earn much than of legal workers…employers pay much more for illegal than legal workers
Ronie Dales Yes! I, second the motion! abolish or waive this monthly broker’s fee! or it can be charged to the employers. Even the medical fees of 2kNT$ have the employer’s pay for it… !!!