Labor ministry official sacked in bullying suicide case

Taipei, Nov. 20 (CNA) The branch chief of a labor ministry agency was dismissed on Wednesday after the ministry's response to a worker's suicide was criticized by lawmakers, while Taiwan's premier and president made anti-bullying statements on the same day.

The Ministry of Labor (MOL) said that the head of its Workforce Development Agency's (WDA) northern regional office, Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容), received two major demerits at a performance review, prompting the high-ranking civil servant's immediate dismissal from office.

The director of the WDA, Tsai Meng-liang (蔡孟良), along with two other lower-ranking supervisors in the agency, also received demerits but were not dismissed from their posts.

The MOL had launched an internal investigation after the body of a 39-year-old worker, identified by his surname Wu (吳), was discovered at the Executive Yuan's Xinzhuang Joint Office Tower in New Taipei on Nov. 4, amid speculation on social media that workplace bullying by Hsieh had driven the civil servant to take his own life.

On Tuesday, Labor Minister Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) said that "Hsieh's management style and control over her emotions" were "inappropriate" and "resulted in staff feeling like they were being bullied in the workplace."

However, Ho went on to say that Hsieh was "not the direct cause" of Wu's death, which instead was attributed to an "excessive workload," "too much stress," and a "lack of support resources."

Later on Tuesday, the MOL released a written report that echoed Ho's comments about departmental failings and also recommended that Hsieh be evaluated in accordance with the Public Functionaries Merit Evaluation Act for "involvement in workplace bullying."

The labor minister wept on Wednesday as she answered questions over many hours from members of the Legislature's Social Welfare and Environmental Hygiene Committee, some of whom called for Hsieh to be suspended.

"I don't have the authority to immediately suspend Hsieh Yi-jung," Ho responded.

The committee also announced it had asked the Control Yuan, Taiwan's top supervisory body, and the Disciplinary Court, a judicial organ responsible for discipline in the civil service, to separately look into the case.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) issued a public apology and confirmed that the case has been transferred to the judiciary.

"All heads of ministries and departments should take this incident as a warning," the premier said, adding that "bullying must not be tolerated again."

President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) also emphasized the theme of bullying in a public statement released on Facebook later on Wednesday, saying that the "care and protection" of every government worker must be "enhanced."

"We must work hard to change many workplace cultures," Lai said, "and we must put an end to all forms of bullying in the workplace to promote a healthier and more progressive working environment in government offices."

Later Wednesday, Hsieh issued a public apology in which she admitted responsibility for "poor emotional control" and "excessive requests" that led to "significant stress" to colleagues.

Though denying that her "leadership style" had anything to do with Wu's death, Hsieh also apologized to Wu's family and others affected by her "not being able to provide timely support."

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the 1925, 1995 or 1980 hotlines in Taiwan for counseling or assistance.