TAIPEI (TVBS News) — To safeguard workers' voting rights, Taiwan's election day has been set as a day off under the Labor Standards Act.
The upcoming Saturday (Jan. 13), the Republic of China's (Taiwan) 16th Presidential and Vice Presidential elections, along with the 11th Legislative Yuan elections, will take place.
Employers must grant a day off to workers who have voting rights and are scheduled to work that day, with regular pay provided.
The "day off" refers to a continuous 24-hour period from midnight to noon. Voting rights can only be exercised on election day and is unlike a public holiday where it can be exchanged with another working day. For those needed to work on election day, employers must obtain their agreement and shall not hinder their right to vote.
If working on election day, employers must pay additional wages in accordance with the Labor Standards Act, doubling pay for work hours and calculating overtime pay under Article 24 Paragraph 2 for rest days.
The Ministry of Labor (MOL) warns employers that those who fail to provide days off or wages legally may be fined from NT$20,000 to a maximum of NT$1 million and will be required to make up for the wages.
Workers whose rights have been infringed upon may file complaints to the local labor authority, such as the Labor Affairs Bureau or Department of Social Welfare, to protect their rights.