New statistics show that the number of workers on unpaid leave or working reduced hours has risen by 12% since the Lunar New Year holiday. The labor ministry released the statistics on Wednesday.
The statistics show that the number of workers working reduced hours or on unpaid leave has risen by 455 since February 8, reaching 4,158.
The closure of Taiwan’s borders due to COVID-19 is a major reason for this increase. The sectors with the largest increases include transport and travel, with airlines, airport ground crew, and travel agencies particularly affected. Also impacted are warehouses and retailers and wholesalers who rely on tourists for much of their business.
While the number of furloughed workers is up, though, a month-on-month decrease that began last July is still continuing, with the number still lower than it was in January.