Newsletter
EMPLOYMENT INSURANCE LAW ENACTED
On 25 April 2002, the Legislative Yuan gave its third and final reading to the Employment In-surance Law(EIL), which expands the scope of unemployment insurance compared with the existing arrangements. It is expected that over 100,000 workers will become eligible for un-employment insurance, in addition to those al-ready covered under the labor insurance program. Some five million workers will receive a greater level of employment security thanks to the in-troduction of the new scheme.
Persons eligible for employment insurance are ROC citizens aged 15 to 60 who are in paid em-ployment, except for the following persons: (1) those required by law to participate in the in-surance schemes for public employees, educa-tion staff and military personnel; (2) those al-ready receiving old age payments from labor insurance or pensions from public employee and education staff insurance; and (3) employees of employers or organizations legally exempt from registration and not assessed for tax, or legally exempt from registration and holding a certifi-cate of exemption from issuing unified invoices.
The benefits payable under the employment in-surance program are divided into four kinds: unemployment benefit, incentive payments for early return to employment, living expenses for vocational training, and assistance with the in-sured's national health insurance contributions.
The date on which the EIL takes effect will be set by the CLA. An education and guidance period of around six months is planned, and the law will be implemented in the second half of 2002 at the earliest.