The Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) is mulling whether to merge the Labor Rights Fund into the Employment Security Fund, a move that has raised questions regarding future use of the funds.
Council officials said that even though the Labor Rights Fund would be a “sub-account” of the Employment Security Fund, the uses of the Labor Rights Fund would not change and that the rights of workers would not be adversely affected.
The Labor Rights Fund’s money comes from the government budget as well as the Employment Security Fund. It is reserved for helping protect workers from rights infringement in the workplace, such as subsidizing workers’ legal fees if they enter into litigation with their employers, as well as helping them get through periods when they have no income as a result of any lawsuit.
The Employment Security Fund is intended to help stabilize the labor market and provide job security, such as helping job seekers find work and providing unemployment benefits to those who are involuntarily unemployed and actively looking for a job.
Some people, however, are skeptical of the proposal.
Son Yu-lian (孫友聯), secretary-general of the Taiwan Labour Front, said the two funds, which are different in nature and usage, should not be combined.
“The Labor Rights Fund was [President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九)] election promise and intended to be used specifically for helping workers file lawsuits. It is completely different from the Employment Security Fund,” he said.
Merging the two would be problematic, he said.
In related news, the council will host a job fair at the Kaohsiung County Stadium next Wednesday, with more than 100 businesses providing information on 3,000 job opportunities in industries ranging from the high-tech and manufacturing sectors to service and cultural enterprises.
The council will set up an area to counsel job seekers on increasing work skills, maintaining a competitive edge in the labor market and career planning.
There will be booths for people considering starting their own business or becoming franchisers for chain stores, as well as information on government-subsidized on-the-job training.
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