Employers blame U.S. tariffs as furloughed workers hit 9,153

Taipei, Dec. 1 (CNA) The number of workers in Taiwan on formal unpaid leave rose from 8,456 to 9,153 in the second half of November, with 369 out of 456 employers citing U.S. tariffs, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Monday.

According to the MOL, three large manufacturers in the machinery equipment, metal products, and consumer goods sectors drove the 697-worker increase between Nov. 17 and Nov. 30, when 21 employers introduced furlough programs.

Huang Chi-ya (黃琦雅), head of the MOL's Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment, said that most companies with furlough programs are small, with 417 of the 456 firms employing fewer than 50 people.

By industry, manufacturing continued to dominate furlough programs, with 376 companies affecting 8,619 workers. Within the sector, the metal and machinery industry accounted for the largest share, with 300 firms and 6,404 workers impacted.

The MOL said that 328 of the firms operate in industries eligible for employment stability measures, meaning 7,034 workers can apply for wage gap subsidies.

Under the current measures to stabilize the job market in response to U.S. tariffs, the MOL will provide subsidies to furloughed workers in the food, steel, textile, plastics, metal, electrical machinery, and auto industries, among others.

The subsidies total 70 percent of the reduced wages due to furlough, or up to NT$12,100 per month, the MOL said.