Focus Taiwan
Date: 2020/01/02
By: Wu Hsin-yun and Matthew Mazzetta

Taipei, Jan. 2 (CNA) The number of workers on unpaid leave in Taiwan rose to 3,074 in the last two weeks of December 2019, which was the highest fortnightly figure for the year, data from the Ministry of Labor (MOL) showed Thursday.

In a statement, the ministry said there was 37 percent spike in furloughed workers to 3,074 from the 2,249 reported two weeks earlier, due largely to one company that sent more than 700 employees on unpaid leave.

MOL statistics showed that in the last half of December, 53 companies had workers on furlough, compared with 44 in the first two weeks of the month, with most of the firms being in the metal/electromechanical industry.

According to the ministry, production dropped at some companies due to an economic slowdown, and some employees agreed to short-term furloughs after consultations with their employers.
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