Taiwan sees increase in furloughed workers

Taipei, Jan. 3 (CNA) The number of workers on formal unpaid leave in Taiwan in the second half of December rose slightly by over 250 from the first half of 2025, with the old economy sector feeling the most pinch, according to the Ministry of Labor (MOL).

Data released by the MOL on Friday showed the number of workers placed on furlough rose by 253 from 15 days earlier to 7,371 as of the end of December, marking an increase from a three-month low seen on Dec. 15, when the number fell by 2,035 from the end of November on an increase of rush orders.

Also at the end of December, the number of employers with unpaid leave programs in place rose by seven from Dec. 15 to 385, the data indicated.

Huang Chi-ya (黃琦雅), head of the MOL's Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment, told reporters that the metal and electric machinery industry continued to report the largest number of furloughed workers at 5,140, accounting for about 70 percent of the total in the export-oriented manufacturing sector.

During the 15-day period, a total of 6,409 workers were placed on furlough due to U.S. tariff measures targeting Taiwanese goods, compared with 6,339 recorded in mid-December, according to the MOL data.

Analysts said the rebound from a three-month low in furloughed workers at the end of December showed the manufacturing sector remained haunted by the U.S. tariff policies.

The domestic demand-oriented service sector, however, stayed relatively resilient, the MOL data showed, with the number of furloughed workers in the wholesale/retail industry falling to 301 at the end of December from 329 as of Dec. 15.