Premier Su Tseng-chang hosted the 20th meeting of the Executive Yuan's Gender Equality Committee (GEC) on Tuesday to discuss flexible working hours for parents, better public childcare and education policies, and increased compensation for childbirth accidents. Public and private sectors alike should actively follow and implement the nation's workplace gender equality regulations as much as possible, he said.
On the topic of workplace flexibility, Vice Premier Chen Chi-mai directed the Ministry of Labor to raise the public's awareness of the flexible work time benefit provided in the Act of Gender Equality in Employment. The Directorate-General of Personnel Administration was also instructed to carry out flexible work trial programs, beginning with the government agencies and occupations most in need. A set of complementary measures should also be formulated to provide greater flexibility for workers raising young children.
Concerning compensation for severe injury or death of a mother during childbirth, as provided in the Childbirth Accident Emergency Relief Act, Premier Su agreed that the maximum amount for maternal deaths should be raised from NT$2 million (US$63,621) to NT$4 million (US$127,243).
The premier also discussed with committee members the recent passage of the same-sex marriage law in Taiwan. The Executive Yuan proposed the draft of the enforcement act for Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 748 in accordance with the interpretation of the Constitutional Court as well as the results of last year's referendum vote. After approval by the Executive Yuan on February 21 this year, the act was passed by the Legislature on May 17 and put into effect May 24. The premier hopes GEC members will work closely with the government to unite people from all parts of society and together create a brighter future for Taiwan.