Ministry of Labor mulls increasing cash rewards

Staff writer, with CNA

Fri, May 22, 2015 - Page 5

The Ministry of Labor said it is mulling an increase in the cash reward it gives for reporting the illegal hiring of migrant workers, while emphasizing that foreign workers should be hired through legal channels.

At present, people who report illegal employers or brokerage firms, or foreign workers on the run, using the toll-free hotline 0800-000978 receive a reward of up to NT$50,000 per case.

The ministry is also contemplating other revisions to the Employment Services Act (就業服務法) that would include increased fines for illegally harboring or hiring foreign workers.

Employers are currently subject to fines of between NT$150,000 and NT$750,000 for illegally hiring migrant workers.

The ministry did not indicate how high the revised reward and fines would go, but said the drafted revisions would be submitted to the legislature on July 11 for review.

The proposals came after an incident in which an Indonesian worker allegedly stabbed her former employer to death in Hsinchu for allegedly owing her back salary.

The Indonesian worker was found to have traveled to Taiwan legally to work as a family caregiver, but her employer reported her missing last year.

Domestic employers were urged by the ministry on Wednesday not to deal with illegal brokerage firms or hire illegal foreign workers.

Foreign workers who have disputes with their employer can seek assistance using the 1955 foreign labor counseling and protection hotline or at service centers set up by local governments, the ministry said.