The number of furloughed workers increased over the past week to more than 6,000, as an extended level 3 COVID-19 alert restricted the movement of people amid a spike in local infections, the Ministry of Labor said on Wednesday.
Data compiled by the ministry showed that the number of employees who agreed to take unpaid leave reached 6,383, up 1,318 from the figure announced on Tuesday last week.
The number of companies using unpaid leave programs rose to 625, up 158 from a week earlier, the data showed.
Photo: CNA
The tightened COVID-19 measures affected the labor market across the board, Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment Director Huang Wei-chen (黃維琛) said.
The number of furloughed workers in the transportation and logistics industry rose from 836 to 917, and grew from 724 to 944 in the retail and wholesale industry, the data showed.
The lodging, and food and beverage industries saw the number of furloughed workers rise from 495 to 972, while the number of furloughed workers in the support service industry, which includes travel agencies, rose from 746 to 819.
In the manufacturing sector, furloughs rose from 1,655 to 1,711, the data showed.
The level 3 alert, which has been extended to June 28, restricted movement and gatherings, so tourism and hospitality businesses felt the pinch, while fewer customers at restaurants and beverage shops affected the retail industry, as well as the transportation and logistics industry in the food sector, Huang said.
The surge in COVID-19 infections also led to a drop in visits to dental, cosmetic and rehabilitation services, he said.
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