The China Post
Date: November 10, 2017
By: Shih Hsiu-chua

TAIPEI (CNA) – Taiwan’s Premier Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Thursday insisted workers

Premier Lai Ching-te, third right, responds to questions at a press conference on Nov. 9, 2017. The premier on Thursday insisted workers also wanted a flexible work-hour system as labor rights groups criticized his Cabinet’s approval of amendments to a law that had restricted how much businesses can ask their employees to work, to allow companies flexible use of work hours. (CNA)

also wanted a flexible work-hour system as labor rights groups criticized his Cabinet’s approval of amendments to a law that had restricted how much businesses can ask their employees to work, to allow companies flexible use of work hours.

The Cabinet was responding to the business leaders’ demands by approving the amendments on Thursday but labor rights groups say the law, if amended, would be a “draconian law.” To deliver on President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) campaign promises to ensure two paid days off per week and to shorten Taiwanese workers’ annual hours worked, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government pushed through reforms to the Labor Standard Act in November last year.

Under the reforms, which took effect Jan. 1, employees must get two days off per week – one mandatory day off and the other “flexible rest day.” The latter means that employees can opt to work if employers ask them to.    [FULL  STORY]