Local NGOs have called on the government to implement a leave policy that allows employees to return home and take care of senior family members when they are in need.
A woman breaks into tears as she talks about the challenges she’s been facing while taking care of her ailing mother. She is one of several who spoke at a recent press conference held by local labor rights groups. The groups are calling on the government to implement a new leave policy to allow workers to take time off to take care of their parents when necessary.
The groups have asked for a 30-day leave with 60% pay and a 150-day leave without pay over a stretch of 10 years. A researcher from the Women’s Awakening Foundation said that having a number of such family leave days with pay would be very important since it’d alleviate the financial pressure of workers who have to care for their parents.
The groups have gathered support from some minority parties. But both the ruling DPP and opposition KMT did not express support for the policy suggested by the NGOs.