Alexa
  • Directory of Taiwan

Foreign workers in Taiwan only eligible to 50% pay for COVID sick leave

Foreign employees can apply for compensation for COVID contact quarantine of NT$1,000 per day

  35894
(MOL image)

(MOL image)

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Foreign workers who contract COVID will only receive 50% of their salary if they take sick leave, but can apply for some labor insurance benefits, while those who must take quarantine leave as close contacts of COVID cases can apply for epidemic prevention compensation.

On Monday (May 16), the Ministry of Labor (MOL) posted a notice on its LINE group providing information on the labor rights of foreign workers who contract COVID and those who must enter quarantine as contacts of confirmed cases.

Foreign workers with COVID

Like all Taiwan residents, foreign employees who test positive for COVID must enter seven days of home care and seven days of self-health management. According to MOL, if a foreign worker contracts COVID, they have three options when it comes to leave and the pay they will receive.

They can take up to 30 days of sick leave, but they will only receive 50% of their salary. If they take annual leave, they will receive their full salary, but will be limited by the number of days of such leave they have accrued.

The third option is to take personal leave, but they will not receive any pay in this case.

Labor insurance injury and sickness benefits

Foreign workers who have been admitted to a hospital, government quarantine center or quarantine hotel, or enter home quarantine and are unable to work and are not paid can apply for labor insurance. They can apply to receive injury or sickness benefits through the labor insurance program starting on the fourth day of their absence from work.

Foreign workers who are close contacts of COVID cases

Although this may soon be subject to change, close contacts of COVID cases are currently required to quarantine for three days of home isolation and four days of self-initiated epidemic prevention. According to MOL, employers are not obligated to pay workers during these three days of home isolation.

However, a MOL representative confirmed to Taiwan News that workers who have not received pay during the home isolation period can apply for epidemic prevention compensation. According to the representative, the workers are eligible for NT$1,000 (US$33.50) per day in compensation, which can be applied for by filling out this online form.

4 days of self-initiated epidemic prevention

As long as a foreign employee tests negative and wears a mask, they can go to work during the self-initiated epidemic prevention phase. However, they have three options if they feel unwell during this period in terms of pay and leave.

They can take up to 30 days of sick leave, but they will only receive 50% of their salary. If they take annual leave, they will receive their full salary, but will be limited by the number of days of such leave they have accrued.

The third option is to take personal leave, but they will not receive any pay in this case.

For more information about these policies, please call 1957.

Foreign workers in Taiwan only eligible to 50% pay for COVID sick leave
(MOL image)