Taipei, Nov. 21, 2012 (CENS)--According to the Council of Labor Affairs (CLA), as of Nov. 15 the number of Taiwan’s enterprises providing unpaid leave to employees increased two more from a month ago to 49, with workers on the provision surging by 1,486 from a month ago to 4,345 in total number.
According to the council, a Cabinet-level government organization, the additional employees in the last month on the provision represented the all-time high incremental rate this year and the accumulated number represented a new high since March this year.
People said the newly added two companies offering the leave are big-name enterprises headquartered in northern Taiwan, with one operating in old-economy industry whereas the other in electronics industry.
CLA officials pointed out that in the last month eight enterprises canceled the provision, but the positive effect was offset by 10 enterprises beginning to offer the leave. Of the 10 enterprises four are with employees of over 100 and two put a total of over 1,000 workers on the leave.
The council put the increase of unpaid-leave workers down to fewer orders than expected received by the two enterprises. The two companies plan to keep the provision in effect until the end of this year.
Industry executives estimated the number of the workers would further increase to more than 5,000 at the end of this month.
According to the council, the number of enterprises offering unpaid leave once surged to 109 at the end of last year, with a total of 13,034 workers on the leave, the highest since the council started asking enterprises in October last year to report on unpaid-leave practice. The enterprise number decreased the lowest 17 in June this year and the worker number slumped to the lowest 610 in July.
(by Ken Liu)
