Furloughed workers top 30,000; over 50% from manufacturing sector

Focus Taiwan
Date: 06/24/2020
By: Wu Hsin-yun and Frances Huang

Taipei, June 24 (CNA) The number of furloughed workers in Taiwan has hit a record high of 30,000 with the manufacturing sector accounting for more than 50 percent of those taking unpaid leave, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Wednesday.

Data compiled by the ministry showed the number of workers who reached an agreement with their employers on a furlough plan totaled 30,505 as of Tuesday, up 667 from 29,838 as of June 15 at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the global economy.

During an eight day period, the number of companies implementing furlough programs reached 1,323, up 11, the data indicated.

Huang Wei-chen (黃維琛), deputy director of the MOL's Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment, said although Taiwan has done well fighting COVID-19, the number of confirmed cases worldwide has been rising and had a ripple effect on global demand, hurting the local export-oriented manufacturing sector.    [FULL  STORY]