活動快報

內容：

The Ministry of Labor reminded employers to require foreign workers to abide by the Animal Protection Act. The aim of this reminder is to prevent foreign workers from losing their jobs because of unintentionally violating the law, or from being punished due to cultural differences and ignorance of the regulations. If they break the law, they will not be able to work in Taiwan anymore. The foreign worker agency should also fulfill its responsibility by helping employers emphasize and promote the regulations, thus preventing foreign workers from hurting dogs or cats. The Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor indicated that respecting animals is a social consensus. Therefore, the Taiwanese government stipulated the Animal Protection Act to protect animals and specify that dogs or cats should not be abused, killed or eaten. However, a discrepancy exists regarding dog or cat protection due to the customs and cultural differences between Taiwan and other countries. The Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor reminds employers to provide an orientation for foreign workers to prevent these workers from violating the law or being punished due to hurting animals. The orientation should talk about how foreign workers must comply with the Animal Protection Act while they are working in Taiwan. It appeals for employers to fulfill their responsibility and promote compliance with the Animal Protection Act. The Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor explains that corporations or families hiring foreign workers shall promote such regulations after these workers start working in Taiwan, including reminding them that killing or eating dogs or cats in Taiwan is a violation of the Animal Protection Act. Foreign workers violating this law shall be sentenced to up to two years in prison and fined for up to NT$ 2 million, these foreign workers will also lose their jobs and will not be allowed to work in Taiwan again. Also, employers shall check if an entrusted agency has promoted such regulations to foreign workers and ensure the accuracy of the information provided by the foreign worker agency. If employers are being punished because the agency did not fulfill its responsibility, the agency will be fined for up to NT$ 300,000. Employers who do not know how to promote the Animal Protection Act may use the Taiwan Workforce Development Agency Information Site on Foreign Worker Rights Defence (https://fw.wda.gov.tw/) built by the Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor. On the website, the promotion information on the Animal Protection Act is available in English, Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian. Furthermore, the Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor promotes compliance with Animal Protection Act via radio broadcasts, advertising and other means. In addition, the Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor also works with the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan. People can call the animal protection hotline (0800-231-532) provided by the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan for cases of dog or cat abuse. If foreign workers are involved in such cases of abuse, people can call the “1955 worker consultation and complaint hotline” provided by the Ministry of Labor, which will help transfer the cases to the local animal protection authorities.