Taiwan
Introduction of hourly personal leave for family care
Impact date: 1 January 2026 (date of enforcement) On 9 December 2025, the Ministry of Labor announced amendments to the Regulations on Leave-Taking by Workers. The revisions permit employees to take personal leave on an hourly basis to care for a family member, and employers may not withhold the full-attendance bonus when such leave is taken. The amendments also clarify that full-attendance bonuses for ordinary sick leave may only be reduced on a pro-rata basis, and employers may not impose any disadvantageous personnel measures or adverse performance assessments solely because an employee has taken ordinary sick leave.
Employer implications/action needed Employers should promptly review and revise internal policies and employee handbooks to expressly allow hourly personal leave for family-care purposes and to ensure that full-attendance bonuses are calculated in accordance with the amended rules. HR personnel and line managers should also be briefed to ensure appropriate and consistent handling of such leave requests.
Employer risk Failure to comply may result in administrative sanctions, including administrative fines, the public disclosure of the employer’s and responsible person’s names and recurring fines if rectifications are not made by the specified deadline, pursuant to the Labor Standards Act.
Introduction of flexible short-term unpaid parental leave applications
Impact date: 1 January 2026 (date of enforcement) On 21 November 2025, the Ministry of Labor announced amendments to the Regulations on Implementing Unpaid Parental Leave for Raising Children, allowing applications for parental leave of fewer than 30 days to be taken on a per-day basis, with the total period of such short-term applications capped at 30 days. Applications for leave of 30 days or more must be filed at least ten days in advance, while daily-based applications must be submitted at least five days in advance. In urgent situations, such as a child’s illness, suspension of childcare services or school closures, employees may apply as late as one day prior if personal care is required.
Employer implications/action needed Employers should promptly review and revise internal policies and employee handbooks to reflect the new short-term and urgent parental leave application mechanisms. HR personnel and line managers should be briefed to ensure that applications, particularly those made on short notice, are assessed and processed in accordance with the amended regulations.
Employer risk Failure to comply may result in administrative sanctions, including administrative fines, the public disclosure of the employer’s and responsible person’s names and recurring fines if rectifications are not made by the specified deadline, pursuant to the Gender Equality in Employment Act.
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