《TAIPEI TIMES》Furloughed workers fall to three-year low as rubber company ends program

NATURAL EVENTS: The services sector reported slightly higher numbers, with Hualien the hardest hit because of the effect of the April 3 earthquake

Staff writer, with CNA

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The number of workers in formal furlough programs dipped to its lowest point in more than three years as a rubber product supplier ended its unpaid leave program, the Ministry of Labor said on Monday.

As of Sunday, the number of workers in furlough programs fell to 4,685, the lowest level since June 1, 2021, when a total of 4,125 furloughed workers were reported, the ministry said.

The decrease, compared with 5,338 as of June 15, came as a rubber product manufacturer ended its unpaid leave program, because of an increase in orders, putting more than 580 workers back to work, Labor Conditions and Employment Equality specialist Li Yi-hsuan （李怡萱） said.

The export-oriented manufacturing sector reported 3,886 furloughed workers as of Sunday, down from 4,550 as of June 15, ministry data showed.

In the services sector, the retail and wholesale industry reported 370 furloughed workers as of Sunday, slightly up from 367 as of June 15, while the lodging and food/beverage industry had 258 workers in furlough programs as of Sunday, also slightly up from 248 as of June 15, data showed.

The services sector in Hualien County — which was rocked by a magnitude 7.2 earthquake on April 3 that hurt its tourism sector — was particularly weak, with the transportation and logistics, lodging and food/beverage, and arts/entertainment/leisure sectors reporting more than 100 furloughed workers, the ministry said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES