Lawmakers yesterday questioned Council of Labor Affairs (CLA) Minister Jennifer Wang (王如玄) over a report showing that many leading companies have failed to meet the legal quota on hiring physically or mentally disabled workers.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Sue-ying (黃淑英), citing data published by the council last year, said there was a deficit of 3,226 jobs for disabled workers in the private sector because companies were not complying with the law.
The Physically and Mentally Disabled Citizens Protection Act (身心障礙者權益保障法) stipulates that private companies with at least 67 employees must reserve at least 1 percent of the jobs for disabled workers. Companies that fail to do so must pay a fine of NT$17,280 — the minimum monthly wage for a full-time worker.
Huang said the top 20 companies that failed to comply with the law made up a deficit of 746 jobs, or 23 percent of the total.
Not only were these listed firms, but they included Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, AU Optronics and United Microelectronics Corp, she said.
“These well-known companies enjoy many benefits and subsidies from the government, but they can’t even do something as simple as hiring disabled workers,” she told the Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee meeting.
Huang said the National Labor Insurance and Labor Pension funds, which choose their target investments based on companies’ commitment to corporate social responsibility, should not put their money in companies that do not hire enough disabled workers.
“Corporate social responsibility” is evaluated using various criteria, and that she would work toward including the companies’ hiring of disabled workers as part of the evaluation, Wang said in response to lawmakers’ questions.
The council said it would set up a database detailing companies’ hiring of disabled workers; however, the official standards of measurement of corporate social responsibility would remain the responsibility of the Financial Supervisory Commission.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS