Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said she would tender her resignation following criticism of her handling of alleged bullying by Ministry of Labor Workforce Development Agency branch director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) resulting in the death of an employee.
The ministry yesterday gave Hsieh two demerits and said she is subject to review by the Disciplinary Court. The severest possible punishment would be her removal from office and being barred from government jobs indefinitely.
Workforce Development Agency Director-General Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良) also received a major demerit and was transferred to another position.
Photo: Liao Cheng-hui, Taipei Times
Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a formal apology and ordered the ministry to hand the case to prosecutors for further investigation.
Cho also asked all government agencies to review internal regulations regarding workplace bullying and, if necessary, amend their rules to enhance employee protection and expedite investigation.
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, which allegedly happened after Hsieh’s bullying.
Ho faced criticism and questions from lawmakers in a meeting of the legislature’s Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee over the ministry’s handling of the bullying case.
Asked whether her comments on being willing to take political responsibility meant that she was stepping down, Ho replied in the affirmative.
Committee convener Su Ching-chuan (蘇清泉) approved a Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus proposal to forward the case to the Control Yuan and the Disciplinary Court, and bring in a third party for the investigation.
KMT Legislator Chen Ching-hui (陳菁徽) alleged on Facebook that Ho Pei-shan had called DPP Deputy Secretary-General Ho Po-wen (何博文), asking him to “rein in” Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) New Taipei City Councilor Lee Yu-hsiang (李宇翔), who blew the whistle on the incident.
Chen alleged that Lee had worked at the Workforce Development Agency’s northern branch and therefore wanted to bring the case to light.
In a post on Facebook, Ho Po-wen said he had spoken with Ho Pei-shan on Nov. 1, and she called to ask him to pass on the message that the Ministry of Labor would be launching an investigation involving third-party organizations and to say that she hoped to establish a direct channel between her staff and Lee.
Ho Pei-shan made the call because she was “not familiar” with Lee, he said, adding that he had forwarded the messages to Lee and told him to “do what you need to do.”
UPDATED FORECAST: The warning covered areas of Pingtung County and Hengchun Peninsula, while a sea warning covering the southern Taiwan Strait was amended The Central Weather Administration (CWA) at 5:30pm yesterday issued a land warning for Typhoon Usagi as the storm approached Taiwan from the south after passing over the Philippines. As of 5pm, Usagi was 420km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost tip, with an average radius of 150km, the CWA said. The land warning covered areas of Pingtung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春), and came with an amended sea warning, updating a warning issued yesterday morning to cover the southern part of the Taiwan Strait. No local governments had announced any class or office closures as of press time last night. The typhoon
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
ONE LAST TALK: While Xi said that Taiwan was a ‘red line,’ Biden, in what is likely his last meeting with Xi as president, called for an end to China’s military activity around Taiwan China’s military intimidation and economic coercion against Taiwan are the main causes of tensions that are destabilizing peace in the Taiwan Strait, Taipei said yesterday while thanking US President Joe Biden for expressing Washington’s firm stance of maintaining peace and stability in the region. Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) met on Saturday for their third meeting and their first talks in seven months on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Lima, Peru. It was likely Biden’s last meeting as president with Xi. During their conversation, Biden reiterated the US’ opposition to any unilateral change to the “status quo” from either
Taiwan would participate in the 2026 APEC summit to be hosted by China after Beijing promised it would ensure the personal safety of attendees, Taiwanese national security sources said yesterday. The APEC Leaders’ Machu Picchu Declaration announced yesterday said that China would host the APEC summit in 2026. Beijing proposed hosting the summit shortly before this year’s gathering began on Friday, a national security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Many APEC members expressed concerns about China hosting the event and said that prior communication over the decision was insufficient, the official said. Taiwan brought up concerns about legal “guidelines” China announced in
RSS