Many foreign professionals are unknowingly in violation of labor regulations, the Taipei City Government’s Department of Labor said.
The department yesterday called upon other government bureaus to pay close attention to the legal status of any foreigner hired to help with the upcoming World Design Capital and 2017 Taipei Summer Universiade.
Taipei’s 17,000 white-collar foreign professionals comprise almost a fifth of the city’s foreign labor force. However, many foreign professionals are unclear about important details of labor regulations, Taipei City Foreign and Disabled Labor Office head Chen Hui-chi (陳惠琪) said, adding that this leaves foreigners vulnerable to being reported by grudge-holding colleagues and acquaintances.
All work requires a work permit and may be completed only at a single approved address, Chen said, adding that foreigners should not begin any work until they have received their official permits.
She said permits are tied to a single employer and any side work is illegal, including individual English-language tutoring.
Because the performing arts are considered work under labor regulations, foreigners should be careful about allowing themselves to be recorded singing or dancing, she said.
“To someone who bears you ill will, such recordings are all evidence that they can use,” she said, adding that most cases handled by the department involve foreigners being turned in by Taiwanese colleagues or acquaintances.
While the department realizes that many accusations arise from personal malice, if presented with clear evidence of work permit violations, they are obligated to enforce the law, she said.
She added that if violations are proven, the whistle-blower is entitled to a NT$10,000 (US$330) reward.
TECH PROGRAM: A US official said that an important part of the delegation’s trip would be to meet with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co executives The US is to send officials in charge of chip development to Taiwan, Japan and South Korea to promote cooperation in the global semiconductor supply chain, the US Department of Commerce said on Tuesday. Chips Program Office Director Michael Schmidt announced the visit, which marks the first time officials from the office are to visit the three nations since it was set up in September last year. “As semiconductors and technologies continue to evolve, the United States will keep working with allies and partners to develop coordinated strategies to ensure that malign actors cannot use the latest technologies to undermine our collective
Seven senior faculty members, including the principal, of a high school in Taichung were temporarily suspended from their jobs on Friday, pending an investigation by the Taichung Education Bureau into alleged bullying and abuse that led to the suicide of a student last month. The city’s education officials were too slow to suspend those involved, the student’s father told a news conference on Wednesday, at which Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Chang Liao Wan-chien (張廖萬堅) and members of the Humanistic Education Foundation were also present. The boy had been a good student and a high achiever during elementary and junior-high, and had
Taiwan does not exclude the possibility of having formal diplomatic relations with counties that also have formal ties with China, regardless of Beijing’s stance, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said on Sunday. There was speculation in 2012 that Honduras was attempting to have simultaneous diplomatic relations with Taiwan and China, an idea that then-minister of foreign affairs David Lin (林永樂) rejected. Honduras severed formal ties with Taiwan on Sunday morning after establishing diplomatic relations with Beijing. President Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) administration has taken a more practical approach to relations with like-minded countries since assuming government in 2016. Previous administrations took the
ORIGIN UNKNOWN: The Leofoo Village Theme Park and Taipei Zoo have accounted for their baboons, as authorities continue a 12-day capture attempt Authorities in Taoyuan are searching for a non-native baboon, possibly of the chacma species, that has been spotted several times in the city’s Pingjhen District (平鎮) over the past 12 days, and was most recently seen in coastal Sinwu District (新屋). The baboon was first spotted near a local factory on March 10 in central Taoyuan, Jhensing Borough Warden Huang Chih-chieh (黃志杰) said. Huang said he requested the Leofoo Village Theme Park’s help after a second sighting on Saturday. In other sightings, the baboon raided fruit and vegetable gardens on private property, and has evaded one capture attempt via a tranquilizer dart. Media reported
RSS