The number of workers on unpaid leave due to US tariffs fell slightly in the first half of this month, thanks to a recovery in orders, the Ministry of Labor said yesterday.
The number of workers impacted by tariffs fell to 7,530 as of Saturday, down by 45 from the end of last month, the ministry said, adding that the number of employers carrying out furlough programs also declined by 17 to 353.
Labor Conditions and Employment Equality specialist Li Yi-hsuan (李怡萱) said the data indicated that employment in the local export-oriented manufacturing sector was stabilizing, on the back of an increase in orders.
Photo: CNA
The manufacturing sector recorded the largest number of furloughed workers at 7,923, accounting for about 94 percent of the total, ministry data showed.
The metal and electric machinery industry reported the highest number of furloughed workers at 6,029, with 283 employers implementing furlough programs, Li said.
The service sector stayed stable, with the number of workers on unpaid leave in the wholesale and retail industry remaining at 338, while the figure for the lodging, and food and beverage industry fell one to 32, data showed.
The total number of furloughed workers across the country was 8,456, up by 125 from the end of last month, while the number of employers implementing unpaid leave programs fell by 20 to 435, ministry data showed.
As tariff negotiations between Taiwan and the US are still ongoing, with Taipei aiming to lower the 20 percent tariff, the ministry will continue to closely watch the job market, Li said.
The ministry updates its furloughed worker data on the first and 16th of every month.
Most of the enterprises implementing furlough programs are small companies that employ fewer than 50 people.
Unpaid leave programs typically last less than three months, with employees taking five to eight days of unpaid leave per month, the ministry said.
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