Nearly two dozen new government measures are to take effect nationwide this year, with several starting today, from a rise in the minimum wage to new procedures for redeeming receipt lottery winnings.
Starting today, the minimum monthly wage is to increase from NT$22,000 to NT$23,100 (US$716 to US$752), and the minimum hourly wage is to rise from NT$140 to NT$150.
Publicly listed companies are obligated to disclose the salaries of their non-management employees. Those that pay their non-management employees less than NT$40,000 per month must explain why they do so.
The National Pension Program’s premium rate is to rise from 8.5 percent to 9 percent, whereas that for the labor insurance program is to increase from 10.5 percent to 11 percent.
People who work between 10pm and 6am for more than six months straight, or who have accumulated 7,000 hours of work, must undergo mandatory health examinations paid for by employers.
Also starting today, men skilled in athletics, electronic sports or foreign diplomacy can apply for alternative military service.
Aborigines can also apply to fulfill their alternative military service in their tribal villages beginning in April.
People can collect prize money won in the Unified Invoice Lottery at convenience stories if the amount is less than NT$1,000.
Post offices, on the other hand, will stop redeeming prize money won in the lotteries.
Soy sauce makers are obligated to disclose the manufacturing process on packaging labels.
People disposing of two-stroke motorcycles and purchasing electric scooters can receive up to NT$5,500 in government subsidies.
Those who buy motorcycles equipped with an anti-lock braking system would receive a subsidy of NT$4,000, whereas those purchasing motorcycles with a combined braking system would receive NT$1,000.
Multiple large motor bikes can now park into one car parking space.
Several changes in healthcare policies are to take effect today as well. The National Health Insurance Administration has listed 6,500 drugs that people have to pay for out of their own pockets if there are duplicate prescriptions.
The National Health Insurance would also start covering drugs for people with hepatitis C.
The cap set for hospital expenses copaid by patients would be raised from NT$38,000 to NT$39,000.
The Patient Right to Autonomy Act (病人自主權利法) is to take effect on Saturday, making Taiwan the first nation in Asia to implement such a law.
In April, the processing fee for fund transfers via ATMs is to be reduced from NT$15 to NT$10 for amounts from NT$501 to NT$1,000.
There will be no processing fee for fund transfers of not more than NT$500.
Three groups of people will not have to pay income taxes in May: those earning less than NT$30,000 per month or whose annual salaries are below NT$408,000; couples with combined salaries of less NT$816,000 per year; and families with two children under five years old and whose annual household income is below NT$1.23 million.
In August, families with children between ages two and four can receive a subsidy of NT$2,500 per month.
In July, government agencies, public and private schools, department stores, shopping centers, fast-food chains may not give dine-in customers single-use plastic straws.
TYPHOON: The storm’s path indicates a high possibility of Krathon making landfall in Pingtung County, depending on when the storm turns north, the CWA said Typhoon Krathon is strengthening and is more likely to make landfall in Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said in a forecast released yesterday afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the CWA’s updated sea warning for Krathon showed that the storm was about 430km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point. It was moving in west-northwest at 9kph, with maximum sustained winds of 119kph and gusts of up to 155kph, CWA data showed. Krathon is expected to move further west before turning north tomorrow, CWA forecaster Wu Wan-hua (伍婉華) said. The CWA’s latest forecast and other countries’ projections of the storm’s path indicate a higher
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
TYPHOON DAY: Taitung, Pingtung, Tainan, Chiayi, Hualien and Kaohsiung canceled work and classes today. The storm is to start moving north this afternoon The outer rim of Typhoon Krathon made landfall in Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春半島) at about noon yesterday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said, adding that the eye of the storm was expected to hit land tomorrow. The CWA at 2:30pm yesterday issued a land alert for Krathon after issuing a sea alert on Sunday. It also expanded the scope of the sea alert to include waters north of Taiwan Strait, in addition to its south, from the Bashi Channel to the Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島). As of 6pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 160km south of
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
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