An amendment capping weekly work hours at 40 passed the legislature yesterday.
The amendment of the Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) cleared to the cheers of lawmakers across party lines, who hailed it as “a victory for workers.”
The act stipulates that a worker is not to work more than eight hours a day or 84 hours every two weeks.
Starting from next year, workers will be under no obligation to work for more than 40 hours per week or eight hours per day, according to the amendment, which is regarded as the legal foundation for workers to get two days off per week.
There was also a revision that allows more flexibility to start and finish times. For employees starting or finishing within an hour of the scheduled times and where there is no change to the regular working hours, arrangements can be made depending on a worker’s needs or the needs of family members.
“Flexibility is conducive to a more friendly working environment and the enhancement of female workers’ participation in the workforce, as mothers could leave work earlier to take care of their children,” said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Alicia Wang (王育敏), who proposed to include the clause in the amendment.
Taiwan has the third-highest legal working hours per year in the world, 2,124 hours, according to a report by the Ministry of Labor, higher than the average among developed countries, which all have yearly working hours limited to fewer than 2,000, KMT Legislator Chiang Hui-chen (江惠貞) said.
“We hope that with the legislation, we can shed the stigma of being an overworked island,” Chiang said.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chao Tien-lin (趙天麟) said the 40-Hour Week Convention was passed by the International Labour Organization as early as 1935 and has been followed for years by countries such as the US, Japan and South Korea.
“What we have done today is give workers what they deserve,” Chao said.
Ministry of Labor official Liu Chuan-min (劉傳名) said after the third reading of the amendment: “We hope that supporting measures and other revisions can also be established, and that continued communication with workers and enterprise representatives will be carried out to make sure that they adjust to the changes.”
“We also hope that the legislature could soon review other amendment proposals made by the Executive Yuan to support the 40-hour cap,” Liu added.
These include an increase of the monthly limit for overtime from 46 to 54 hours, Liu said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old