Capping a decade of pressure from women's groups, lawmakers yesterday passed sweeping legislation that provides female workers with a broad range of legal protection at public and private workplaces.
The Equal Protection Employment Act, divided into seven chapters and 40 articles, allows working mothers to apply for unpaid maternity leave of up to two years to be with their babies.
In addition, it requires employers to pay workers who do similar jobs equal salaries and benefits regardless of their gender, beginning International Women's Day on March 8 next year.
The legislation represents a landmark triumph for women's groups that have lobbied hard for its passage for the past 12 years.
"It is indeed a day of celebration," said Yu Mei-nu (尤美女), a long-time women's rights activist at the Awakening Foundation. "But the battle is not over yet, as we must see to it that employers abide by the law and eliminate discriminatory practices against female employees."
Studies show that female workers earn about 70 percent of what their male counterparts earn when doing the same job. Women are also less likely to be promoted or occupy managerial positions, according to various statistics.
New Party lawmaker Hsieh Chi-ta (
"The act will greatly encourage women to join the workforce as it bars companies with 30 or more employees from sacking female workers who choose to stay at home and look after newborn children," she said.
Studies show that as many as 70 percent of female workers are forced to quit their jobs after they get married or become pregnant. It was learned in 1987 that dozens of female workers at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall were asked to sign agreements whereupon they would resign once they got married.
To ease the financial burden for working mothers, the 16th article of the law stipulates that female workers on maternity leave may retain their national health insurance and postpone paying their share of the premium for three years.
This provision had raised concern among labor officials and employers, with the latter group calling the bill "villainous" and resisting its passage unless they are exempted from paying their share of the insurance premiums during the unpaid leave.
The legislation also outlaws sexual harassment in the workplace and obligates companies with more than 30 employees to adopt measures to prevent and punish such offenses.
Under the law, employers may not fire female workers who are in the process of pressing charges related to gender discrimination.
The act also contains a clause mandating firms with more than 250 workers to provide childcare facilities. They may apply for assistance from government agencies for installing such facilities.
Female workers with newborn children may take two 30-minute breaks at work every day to breast-feed babies younger than one year old, the new rules say.
Further, the legislation allows women to take one sick day off each month if they suffer from painful menstruation.
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