Ministry of Labor (Taiwan)

The Ministry of Labor (MOL; Chinese: 勞動部; pinyin: Láodòng Bù; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lô-tōng-pō͘) is a ministry of the Taiwanese Executive Yuan administering policies relating to employees and labor. The MOL works with various international organizations and engages in bilateral exchanges to elevate the welfare of laborers in Taiwan,[1] administering programs such as Labor Insurance.[2]

Ministry of Labor
勞動部
Láodòng Bù (Mandarin)
Lô-tōng-pō͘(Taiwanese Hokkien)
Lò-thung Phu (Hakka)
Emblem of the Ministry of Labour
Ministry overview
Formed1 August 1987 (as Council of Labor Affairs)
17 February 2014 (as MOL)
JurisdictionGovernment of the Republic of China
HeadquartersZhongzheng District, Taipei
Ministers responsible
Websitemol.gov.tw

History

In 1947, before the implementation of Constitution of the Republic of China, the Nationalist government planned to establish the Ministry of Labor under the Executive Yuan. On 18 May 1948, the Ministry of Society (Chinese: 社會部) was founded by the Executive Yuan, and labor affairs were downgraded to an agency under the Ministry of Society. On 21 March 1949, the Ministry of Society was abolished, and labor affairs were then administered by the a newly founded Division of Labor under the Ministry of the Interior.

On 1 August 1987, the Council of Labor Affairs (Chinese: 勞工委員會; pinyin: Láogōng Wěiyuánhuì; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lô-kang Úi-ôan-hōe) was established as an independent agency under the Executive Yuan. The council was upgraded to Ministry of Labor Affairs on 17 February 2014.[3]

In July 1999, the Taiwan Province government was downsized, the Council of Labor Affairs labor take over the original duties from Department of Labor Affairs, Taiwan Provincial Government, and established the Central Office, Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan. January 1, 2013, Council of Labor take over youngsters employment duties from National Youth Commission (Youth Employment Training Center). 2014, Central Office, Council of Labor Affairs reorganized into Skill Evaluation Center of Work Force Agency, Ministry of Labor.

The Taiwanese government had planned to upgrade labor affairs to ministry level. In 1990, the government of Lee Teng-hui amended the Organizational Act of the Executive Yuan. February 2009, government of Ma Ying-jeou amended the Organizational Act of the Executive Yuan, and make sure the Council of Labor will be upgraded to Ministry of Labor Affairs, sending the amended act to the Legislative Yuan.

January 29, 2014, Legislative Yuan pass the third reading of Organization Act of the Ministry of Labor, The Bureau of Labor Insurance, Ministry of Labor Organization Act, Organic Act of Workforce Development Agency, Ministry of Labor, Organization Act for the Bureau of Labor Funds of the Ministry of Labor, Organization Law of Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Ministry of Labor, Organic Act of Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health, Ministry of Labor. February 17, Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan is upgrade to "Ministry of Labor", still rent the part of the office spaces in Empire Garden Plaza for the ministry's administrative units. The other agencies like Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Workforce Development Agency are located in the Xinzhuang Joint Office Tower.

Lease space to own office space

From the start of the Ministry of Labor it was an independent government agency. It doesn't have its own office space, and needs to rent space from a third party. From 2001 to March 2018, the Council of Labor Affairs rented the office space in Empire Garden Plaza on No. 83, Section 2, Yanping North Road, Datong District, Taipei City.[4]

In June 2017, Ministry of Labor decided they will move to the "Building of Taiwan Cooperative Bank, Taiwan Province" (the old headquarter of Taiwan Cooperative Bank, No. 77, Guanqian Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City.).[5] In May 14, 2018, the headquarters of the Ministry of Labor officially moved into levels 4 to 14 of the Building of Taiwan Cooperative Bank, Taiwan Province, and started office hours. However, the Ministry of Labor still wanted to seek its own office spaces.[4][6]

June 1, 2020, the Ministry of Labor confirmed they got their own office space. The Veterans Affairs Commission published a press release, which said that after the dismissal of their own company, the RSEA Engineering Corporation, the company's office space in the 9 to 13 floor of Chi Ching Building, Songjian Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, will be sold to the Ministry of Labor in 2021.[7] The Ministry of Labor plans to move into Chi Ching Building 2023, and will no longer prepare budget for rent lease.[8]

Visions

  • Autonomy
  • Equality
  • Development

Organization structures

Administrative Units

  • Department of General Planning
  • Department of Employment Relations
  • Department of Labor Insurance
  • Department of Employment Welfare and Retirement
  • Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment
  • Department of Legal Services

Staff Units

  • Department of General Affairs
  • Department of Human Resources
  • Department of Civil Service Ethics
  • Department of Accounting
  • Department of Statistics
  • Department of Information Management

Agencies

  • Bureau of Labor Insurance [zh]
  • Bureau of Labor Funds [zh]
  • Workforce Development Agency [zh]
    • Taipei-Keelung-Hualien-Kinmen-Matsu Regional Office
    • Taoyuan-Hsinchu-Miaoli Regional Office [zh]
    • Taichung-Changhua-Nantou Regional Office [zh]
    • Yunlin-Chiayi-Tainan Regional Office [zh]
    • Kaohsiung-Pingtung-Penghu-Taitung Regional Office
    • Skill Evaluation Center [zh][9]
  • Occupational Safety and Health Administration [zh]
  • Institute of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health [zh]

List of ministers

Hsu Ming-chun, the incumbent Minister of Labor.

Political Party:  Kuomintang  Democratic Progressive Party  Non-partisan/ unknown

No.NameTerm of OfficeDaysPartyPremier
Minister of the Council of Labor Affairs
1Cheng Shuei-chih [zh] (鄭水枝)1 August 1987February 1989KuomintangYu Kuo-hua
2Chao Shou-po (趙守博)February 19891994KuomintangYu Kuo-hua
Lee Huan
Hau Pei-tsun
Lien Chan
3Hsieh Shen-shan (謝深山)1994May 1997KuomintangLien Chan
4Hsu Chieh-kuei (許介圭)May 1997February 1998Lien Chan
Vincent Siew
5Chan Huo-shen (詹火生)February 199819 May 2000Vincent Siew
6Chen Chu (陳菊)20 May 200019 September 20051948Democratic Progressive PartyTang Fei
Chang Chun-hsiung I
Yu Shyi-kun
Frank Hsieh
7Lee Ying-yuan (李應元)19 September 200520 May 2007608Democratic Progressive PartyFrank Hsieh
Su Tseng-chang I
8Lu Tien-ling (盧天麟)20 May 200719 May 2008365Democratic Progressive PartyChang Chun-hsiung II
9Wang Ju-hsuan (王如玄)20 May 20082 October 20121596IndependentLiu Chao-shiuan
Wu Den-yih
Sean Chen
10Pan Shih-wei (潘世偉)2 October 201216 February 2014502KuomintangSean Chen
Jiang Yi-huah
Minister of Labor (since 17 February 2014)
1Pan Shih-wei (潘世偉)17 February 201424 July 2014157KuomintangJiang Yi-huah
Hao Feng-ming (郝鳳鳴)24 July 201420 August 201427Jiang Yi-huah
2Chen Hsiung-wen (陳雄文)20 August 201419 May 2016638Jiang Yi-huah
Mao Chi-kuo
Chang San-cheng
3Kuo Fang-yu (郭芳煜)20 May 20167 February 2017263Lin Chuan
4Lin Mei-chu (林美珠)8 February 201726 February 2018383Lin Chuan
William Lai
5Hsu Ming-chun (許銘春)26 February 201820 May 20242275Democratic Progressive PartyWilliam Lai
Su Tseng-chang II
Chen Chien-jen
6Ho Pei-shan (何佩珊)20 May 2024Incumbent40Democratic Progressive PartyCho Jung-tai

Access

The MOL headquarters is accessible within walking distance from NTU Hospital metro station or Taipei Main Station of the Taipei Metro.

See also

References