The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt people of all ages, but Taiwan’s young people—those just starting out in the job market—may have been hit the hardest of all.
The story of JoJo illustrates the experience of many young Taiwanese people in a time of pandemic. JoJo graduated last year, and managed to find a job in November. But the economic slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic saw her laid off without warning in July.
When she asked for help she believed she was entitled to, the labor ministry said that she didn’t meet eligibility requirements to get money for young workers. She couldn’t get unemployment payments either because she hadn’t yet had employment insurance for a full year at the time she was let go.
On top of this, her salary hadn’t been cut in the final two months before she was laid off, so she is also ineligible for subsidies that would cover her living expenses as she looks for a new job.
Some politicians are starting to speak up about cases like JoJo’s. Lawmaker Chiu Chen-yuan of the Taiwan People’s Party says the government’s current policies make being employed the criteria for subsidies. But Chiu says the government should consider giving aid to job seekers instead.
The mood among young people just entering Taiwan’s job market seems overall pessimistic. A survey by job bank 1111 has found that only 22.1% of new graduates have found jobs, and 45.5% have no idea when they might find employment. Meanwhile, the survey found that the salaries new graduates are asking for have fallen 4%. The job bank says however that increased vaccination should lead to more job openings by the end of the year.