Taiwan’s labor ministry says it is open to giving people confined to their homes with COVID-19 the right to claim sickness benefits.
Workers in Taiwan are normally eligible for sickness benefits only if they are receiving care in a hospital.
Labor Minister Hsu Ming-chun says the COVID-19 pandemic has created unique circumstances, and Taiwan’s labor laws are unequipped to deal with them. She says she is open to taking a more flexible approach to sickness benefits so people can collect them even if they are getting treatment at home.
Under Taiwan’s Labor Insurance Act, workers can claim half of their average monthly insurance salary as a sickness benefit starting four days after they fall ill.