The number of workers on unpaid leave increased by 1,341 in the first half of August, the Ministry of Labor said on Friday.
The ministry said that a slower economy meant that some manufacturers had to reduce production, leaving employees idle.
Data compiled by the ministry showed that the number of employees on unpaid leave as of Aug. 15 stood at 2,012, up from 671 at the end of July. The latest number was the highest so far this year, the ministry said.
In the first half of August, 26 employers nationwide were running unpaid leave programs with the consent of their employees, six more than in the second half of last month, ministry data showed.
Five employers had ended their unpaid leave programs, but 11 others launched new programs, bringing the total to 26, the data showed.
Among the 26 companies, three firms, all in the old economy sector and including two machinery suppliers, saw the number of furloughed workers topping 300 each, the ministry said.
In addition, most of the companies with employees on unpaid leave were small enterprises with a workforce of fewer than 50, and their unpaid leave programs were for less than three months, it said, adding that their employees consented to the plan, agreeing to take up to four days of unpaid leave each month.
The ministry said that despite their unpaid leave programs, the employers have been instructed to pay their employees no less than the minimum wage, which stands at NT$23,100 per month.
The government has also implemented a program to reduce the financial impact of the furloughs on workers, offering them training to improve their skills, it said.
Employees also have the option of taking online training courses available on the ministry’s Skill Evaluation Center Web site, it said.
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