In light of poor air quality caused by haze during winter, the Ministry of Labor yesterday said that workers may take leave on their own initiative following announcements by mayors and commissioners declaring work to be suspended on days with heavy haze.
Haze is caused by prevalent northeastern trade winds blowing from China during winter, carrying with them particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5, fine particles under 25 micrometers in diameter), which is a major air pollutant, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said.
A directive issued by the ministry to local governments in late October said workers do not have to go to work if mayors and commissioners order that work be suspended due to poor air quality caused by haze, and employers are not to use an employee’s absence on those days as an excuse to deny bonuses for attendance.
Employers are also forbidden to use the absence as an excuse to make employees work on holidays or their days off, fire them or impose any form of punishment.
However, they may opt to deduct wages for those days from the absent worker’s salary in the same fashion as unpaid leave.
According the directive, parents may take parental, special or ordinary leave on hazy days when school is suspended, to take care of their children.
The rules were issued in compliance with the ministry’s statutes governing laborers’ attendance, management and wages during natural disasters, attaching the same amount of importance to haze as other frequent natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes and typhoons.
On a related note, the EPA’s Taiwan Air Quality Monitoring Network Web site showed that numerous areas are expected to be hit by potentially dangerous to elevated PM2.5 levels today and tomorrow, with PM2.5 indices in Kinmen County, Greater Kaohisung, Pingtung County, Yunlin, Chiayi and Greater Tainan reaching level 7.
Greater Taichung, Lienchiang County and Nantou County are expected to hit level 6 on the index, with a concentration level of 48 to 53 micrograms, which could affect people with allergies or cardiovascular diseases.
Under the EPA’s system, level 7 on the PM2.5 index indicates a concentration level of 54 to 58 micrograms of pollutant per cubic meter of air, which could cause discomfort to people’s eyes and throats, and induce coughing.
The EPA recommends staying indoors when the PM2.5 index reaches level 7 or above.
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