In order to protect the employment rights of the Middle-aged and Elderly Employees, the Ministry of Labor has enacted and promulgated the "Middle-Aged and Elderly Employment Promotion Act", which will be implemented simultaneously with the six regulations and related subsidy programs.
Middle-aged and elderly persons unemployed due to the impact of the epidemic will receive unemployment benefits at 60% of their insured salary in the 6 months prior to their resignation during the job search period to help them maintain their economic livelihood. The maximum period can be extended to 9 months. If they have to support a spouse who has no income from work, or a minor or children with disabilities, they can also benefit from bonuses. Relevant employment promotion measures are also planned in the Middle-Aged and Elderly Employment Promotion Act. For example, they can participate in various vocational training courses for free, and are provided with vocational training living allowances. After they the trainees upgrade their skills, the benefits will rise to a maximum range of NT$13,000 to NT$15,000 per month, with a maximum 12 months of employment incentives to encourage employers to hire senior and middle-aged employees. Through workplace learning and re-adaptation, a monthly allowance based on a basic salary of NT$24,000 will be granted to strengthen employment preparation and adaptation. The measures also recommend temporary employment, grant allowances based on basic wages, and provide short-term employment placement. Use There are also free business consulting and loan interest subsidies with a maximum loan amount of NT$2 million for up to 2 years to assist in changing jobs and starting a business.
A total NT$100,000 is available as a subsidy to help with adjusting working methods, improving the working environment and providing employment assistive devices in order to eliminate work obstacles for the in-work middle-aged and elderly persons. Subsidies can also be provided to middle-aged and elderly persons for on-the-job training to strengthen their professionalism. In addition, a subsidy is available for continuous employment from NT$13,000 to NT$15,000 per month for up to 18 months to assist elderly persons to stay in the workplace and promote generational transfers of knowledge and exchanges, and stabilize the economic livelihood of seniors.
In order to encourage retired middle-aged and elderly persons’ re-employment, there are subsidies for them to serve as lecturers, with a maximum of NT$100,000 per person per year to transfer skills from generation to generation, and achieve cooperation between the generations. The Act also assists retired employees with retirement and reemployment assistance measures, which will help them re-enter the workforce after retirement, with subsidies for each employer of up to NT$500,000 per year.
The Middle-Aged and Elderly Employment Promotion Act also relaxes employers’ employment of senior citizens over 65 years of age on fixed term contracts. The fixed term contracts are not limited to the temporary, short-term, seasonal, and specific jobs mentioned in Article 9 of the Labor Standards Act. After the contract expires, they are regarded as the provisions of a non-fixed term contract, which increases the flexibility of both employer and employee.
In addition, how to revitalize the middle-aged and elderly labor force will be an important issue in the future. The Ministry of Labor has set up Service Locations for Senior Talents in New Taipei City and Kaohsiung to promote the recruitment of middle-aged and elderly workers by employers, and to counsel public institutions to release suitable job opportunities. We will integrate the resources of the central and local governments to jointly promote senior talent services in the future, and subsidize local governments in setting up service locations for senior talents, develop flexible job opportunities suitable for middle-aged and elderly persons according to the industrial characteristics of the jurisdiction and promote local employment.
The Ministry of Labor has stated that the middle-aged and elderly employees, with their wealth of experience, wisdom, and training, are indispensable human resources for enterprises, so it calls on companies to cherish and make good use of them. The Ministry of Labor will continue to implement each measure in the Middle-Aged and Elderly Employment Promotion Act and provide guidance to public institutions for employment. It will help middle-aged and senior people find stable employment, promoting a win-win partnership between enterprises and middle-aged and elderly employees and building a friendly employment environment for them.