Furloughed Worker Numbers Decrease as Taiwan Glass Manufacturer Resumes Production.

Taipei: The number of workers in formal furlough programs in Taiwan decreased by approximately 3.6 percent in the latter half of November, following a decision by a glass manufacturer to conclude its unpaid leave program, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) announced on Monday. The total count of workers under unpaid leave schemes registered with the MOL dropped by 195, bringing the figure down to 5,296 as of November 30, compared to 5,491 on November 15. However, the number of employers implementing furlough programs increased to 298 from the previous count of 288 over the same period. According to Focus Taiwan, MOL Labor Conditions and Employment Equality specialist Li Yi-hsuan attributed the decline in furloughed workers primarily to a glass company that reinstated around 400 employees to its production lines due to rising orders. Li confirmed that the company has no intention of reinstating its unpaid leave program in the foreseeable future. Despite the cessation of the furlough plan by the glass maker, the exp ort-oriented manufacturing sector continues to have the highest number of furloughed workers among major sectors, largely due to challenges faced by non-technology sectors amidst sluggish global demand. As of November 30, the manufacturing sector accounted for 4,091 furloughed workers, representing over 77 percent of the total. The service sector has remained relatively stable, according to Li, with the number of furloughed workers in the retail and wholesale sector rising to 441 as of November 30, an increase of 16 from November 15. The hotel and food/beverage sector also saw a slight increase, with 501 furloughed workers as of November 30, up by seven from November 15. Conversely, the number of furloughed workers in the support service industry, predominantly comprising travel agencies, slightly decreased to 64 as of November 30 from 65, as per MOL data. Li noted that the increase in furloughed workers within the hotel and food/beverage sectors is largely a result of the ongoing impact of a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that occurred in early April and subsequent typhoons in Hualien County in eastern Taiwan, which have adversely affected the tourism sector. The MOL updates its furloughed worker data bi-monthly, on the 1st and 16th, detailing the number of employees placed on furloughs as registered by companies with the ministry. Most businesses implementing furlough programs are small enterprises employing fewer than 50 individuals. Typically, unpaid leave programs span less than three months, with employees taking five to eight days of unpaid leave per month, according to the MOL.