Employers are legally obliged to provide surgical masks to foreign carers who visit hospitals in the course of their duties, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said on Thursday.
In a press release addressing response measures being taken against 2019 novel coronavirus, the ministry said that providing masks in hospitals falls under an employers’ legal responsibility to guarantee safe working conditions.
Failure to provide a safe working environment for foreign workers, if not rectified within a stated period, is punishable under the Employment Service Act (就業服務法) by a fine of between NT$60,000 and NT$300,000, as well as a two-year ban from employing foreign workers, the ministry said.
Photo: Li Ya-wen, Taipei Times
It is preparing a letter to be sent to employment agencies and associations to ensure that employers are aware of their obligations, the ministry said.
It offers 24-hour consultation services via the 1955 hotline to facilitate virus prevention outreach among the more than 700,000 migrant workers in Taiwan, it said, adding that services are available in Mandarin, English, Indonesian, Thai and Vietnamese.
Recently arrived migrant workers should keep watch for virus-related symptoms, including a cough or fever, within the first 14 days after arrival, and contact the 1955 migrant worker hotline or the Centers for Disease Control’s 1922 (or 0800-001-922) epidemic prevention hotline to report any concerns, the ministry said.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) is to launch a new program to encourage international students to stay in Taiwan and explore job opportunities here after graduation, Deputy Minister of Education Yeh Ping-cheng (葉丙成) said on Friday. The government would provide full scholarships for international students to further their studies for two years in Taiwan, so those who want to pursue a master’s degree can consider applying for the program, he said. The fields included are science, technology, engineering, mathematics, semiconductors and finance, Yeh added. The program, called “Intense 2+2,” would also assist international students who completed the two years of further studies in
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