The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) yesterday urged foreign workers who feel they have been treated unfairly to report their employers to local labor departments.
The CLA urged workers to inform the authorities rather than run away because that could lead to further exploitation by employment agencies.
The council said that foreign workers who have become “undocumented workers,” by running away are unprotected from infringements of their working rights and are ineligible for health and labor insurance.
Some are exploited by employment agencies that hire undocumented workers, and may fall prey to human trafficking, said Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良), head of the council’s foreign labor department.
“We hope that the foreign workers will not be treated unfairly or exploited because they have become illegal workers,” he said.
Since foreign workers were first permitted to work in the country in 1992, council statistics estimate the country has accumulated 26,000 undocumented foreign workers.
Tsai said the council would crack down on violations with heavy fines for employers, agencies and workers. Those who illegally employ undocumented workers could be fined up to NT$750,000. Employment agencies that deal with undocumented workers are liable to fines of up to NT$500,000, and undocumented workers could be fined up to NT$150,000.
With the help of informants, the council tracked down 439 undocumented workers last year and paid out NT$2,135,000 (US$60,000) in cash rewards.
RSS