The Labor Ministry released the latest statistics on unpaid leave in Hualien on Monday, which showed an increase affecting various industries. The number of companies implementing unpaid leave decreased by one to 262, while the number of affected workers rose by 153 to a total of 5,338.
Lee Yi-hsuan (李怡萱), a specialist from the Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment, noted that the metal and electrical machinery manufacturing sector saw the largest increase in affected workers. Due to order instability, the policy was implemented for about 100 employees; a bicycle components manufacturer ceased unpaid leave for over 120 employees.
The recent increase in requests for unpaid leave in Hualien can largely be attributed to reduced tourist activity following April’s major earthquake. Twenty-five more businesses in the accommodation, food services, transportation, storage, and arts and entertainment sectors applied for unpaid leave compared to the previous period, bringing the total number of affected employees to 327, up from 136.
Lee says that in response to these challenges, the government has provided supportive measures for businesses implementing unpaid leave, aiming to subsidize employee salaries and assist business operations. Additionally, travel subsidies have been introduced to stimulate the local economy and improve the overall tourism industry in Hualien.