TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Labor Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊) vowed decisive action against workplace bullying within the Workforce Development Agency's northern branch on Wednesday (Nov. 20). Ho promised disciplinary measures against Director Hsieh Yi-jung (謝宜容) by the end of the week, followed by referral to the Control Yuan and judicial authorities.
The Ministry of Labor (MOL, 勞動部) released an investigation report a day earlier confirming Hsieh's involvement in workplace bullying. However, the report found no direct evidence linking her to the bullying of a civil servant surnamed Wu, who died in the office on Nov. 4. This death sparked nationwide attention and led to public outcry over the perceived leniency of the disciplinary actions.
Taiwan People's Party Legislator Chen Gau-tzu (陳昭姿) criticized the investigation report during a questioning session, calling it absurd and questioning why Hsieh's bullying could not be proven against Wu. Ho explained that the inability to prove direct bullying stemmed from the presence of two supervisors between Hsieh and Wu: the deputy director and the director of the secretariat.
Chen demanded a rewrite of the investigation report and its referral to the Control Yuan to avoid repeating past mistakes. Ho assured that the Ministry had already submitted the case to the performance evaluation committee for disciplinary action. The unfolding situation raises questions about accountability and transparency within government agencies.