89 public, private sector units join flexible parental leave pilot plan

Taipei, June 22 (CNA) A total of 89 public and private sector units have joined a pilot program for flexible parental leave, which allows employees to take leave in increments of five or seven days, and in some cases, on a daily basis, the Ministry of Labor (MOL) said Saturday.

At the launch of the small-scale pilot program on May 9, the labor ministry invited interested public and private sector units to submit their plans by the end of May, offering the participating units some level of flexibility.

MOL official Huang Wei-chen (黃維琛) told CNA Saturday that 89 small and medium-sized enterprises have in joined the program and plan to stay with it until the end of the year.

Most of those units now allow employees to apply for parental leave in increments of five or seven days, but there are a few companies that calculate leave on a daily basis, he said.

To avoid manpower problems that could arise from short notice, the pilot program stipulates that employees should submit their applications for parental leave in writing at least five days in advance.

Some units offer more flexible options, however, allowing employees to apply just one day in advance, according to Huang.

He said the ministry will collect feedback from the participating units on insights gained during the pilot program and any difficulties encountered, which will be used for future reference.