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.
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