The number of workers in Taiwan on formal unpaid leave rose from 8,456 to 9,153 in the second half of last month, with 369 out of 456 employers citing US tariffs, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said today.
According to the ministry, three large manufacturers in the machinery equipment, metal products and consumer goods sectors drove the 697-worker increase between Nov. 17 and yesterday, when 21 employers introduced furlough programs.
Photo: Huang Hsu-lei, Taipei Times
Most companies with furlough programs are small, with 417 of the 456 firms employing fewer than 50 people, said Huang Chi-ya (黃琦雅), head of the MOL's Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment.
Manufacturing continued to dominate furlough programs, with 376 companies affecting 8,619 workers.
Within the sector, the metal and machinery industry accounted for the largest share, with 300 firms and 6,404 workers impacted.
The MOL said that 328 of the firms operate in industries eligible for employment stability measures, meaning 7,034 workers can apply for wage gap subsidies.
Under the current measures to stabilize the job market in response to US tariffs, the ministry would provide subsidies to furloughed workers in the food, steel, textile, plastics, metal, electrical machinery and auto industries, among others.
The subsidies total 70 percent of the reduced wages due to furlough, or up to NT$12,100 per month, the MOL said.
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