The New Taipei District Prosecutors' Office today said it is investigating malfeasance offenses and listed Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) as a defendant in a case allegedly involving workplace bullying that resulted in the death of an employee.
Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) tendered her verbal resignation today, Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee (李慧芝) said.
Hsieh was sacked yesterday after receiving two major demerits at a performance review, the ministry said.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Protesters gathered at the ministry in Taipei this morning holding a black cloth saying: “Anti-bullying, we want truth.”
Soochow University School of Law professor Hu Po-yen (胡博硯) called for a thorough investigation to do justice to workers, as all eyes are on how the ministry responsible for labor rights handles bullying in its own workplace.
New Power Party Chairperson Claire Wang (王婉諭) blasted the ministry investigation report as “illogical” and “absurd.”
The ministry is incapable of investigating its own problems, she said, calling for the establishment of a workplace bullying prevention mechanism, as current measures are not enough.
Wang added that Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) should organize a group that includes professionals from a third party to investigate not only Hsieh, but all relevant high-ranking officials, including Ho and Deputy Minister of Labor Hsu Chuan-sheng (許傳盛).
She said those who have left the branch because of bullying should also be interviewed to have a full picture of the event.
Also yesterday, Hsieh issued a public apology in which she admitted responsibility for "poor emotional control" and "excessive requests" that led to "significant stress" to colleagues.
Although denying that her "leadership style" had anything to do with Wu's death, Hsieh also apologized to Wu's family and others affected by her "not being able to provide timely support."
She also issued a 3,000-word statement released by her lawyer accusing media reports of treating her unfairly, as if she was put in “public trial.”
An employee surnamed Wu (吳) was on Nov. 4 found dead at the Executive Yuan’s Sinjhuang Coworking Office Building, with preliminary investigations indicating that the cause of death was suicide.
Additional reporting by Lee Ching-hui and Wang Ting-chuan
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS