《TAIPEI TIMES》 Legislature passes parental leave increase
Parental leave can be extended until the child reaches nine years old, and the maximum number of days for each child is 60 days.
Quick Look
- The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed amendments to the "Gender Equality Work Law" and the "Employment Service Law", extending maternity leave from eight weeks to fourteen weeks, paternity leave from seven days to fourteen days, unpaid childcare leave can be extended until the child reaches nine years old, and adding a new parental leave, with a maximum limit of 60 days for each child.
- The revised law will be sent to President Lai Ching-te for announcement.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Taiwan's fertility rate has been low for a long time and is one of the lowest in the world. The revised law aims to extend parental leave and paternity leave and provide more childcare support.
The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed amendments to the Gender Equality at Work Act and the Employment Service Act, extending maternity leave from eight weeks to fourteen weeks, paternity leave from seven days to fourteen days, and expanding the scope of unpaid parental leave.
The amendments allow employees to take unpaid parental leave until their children turn nine, instead of the original upper limit of three.
Parents can also take parental leave to take care of their children personally. Applicable situations include child illness, childcare services or school classes being closed, vaccinations, participation in parent-child activities organized by child care centers, early childhood education and care institutions or schools, and other situations that require parental care.
This parental leave is capped at 60 days per child and is included in the total period of unpaid parental leave.
The seven days of leave to accompany a spouse to prenatal care remains unchanged.
Paternity leave covers time after childbirth and must be taken within fifteen days of birth.
Under the Employment Insurance Act, employees who take unpaid parental leave may receive parental leave benefits for up to six months. After the amendment, if both parents have received the allowance for six months each, they can receive the allowance for up to nine months.
The law stipulates that foreign migrant workers are entitled to maternity leave, but live-in caregivers are not entitled to paid maternity leave. Likewise, live-in caregivers may take unpaid parental leave but are not eligible for the subsidy.
The law revision comes against the backdrop of Taiwan's chronically low fertility rate, one of the lowest in the world.
The amendments will be sent to President Lai Ching-te for promulgation, and the Executive Yuan will then decide on the implementation date.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Executive Yuan will decide the implementation date of the revised law.
Very likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- The specific implementation date of the revised law has not yet been determined and will be decided by the Executive Yuan.
- Whether there will be salary subsidies during parental leave is not clearly stated in the article.
