Prospective Candidates Should Enroll Their Employees to the Employment Insurance and Occupational Accident Insurance. They May Also Participate in Labor Insurance on a Voluntary Basis.
The presidential and legislative election will be held in next year (2024). The BLI reminded that prospective candidates who have received approval from the Control Yuan to establish a dedicated account of political donations should, according to the regulations, enroll their employees who are engaged in campaign-related activities, if any, to the Employment Insurance and Labor Occupational Accident Insurance (Hereinafter referred to as “Occupational Accident Insurance”). The prospective candidates may also participate in the Labor Insurance on a voluntary basis. The purpose is to ensure the work and life safety of those employees.
In accordance with the “Employment Insurance Act” and the “Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act”, the prospective candidates of public servants are, compulsorily, considered an insured unit of the Employment Insurance and Occupational Accident Insurance as long as they have hired one worker or more who receive salaries for working on the campaign-related activities. They should, as required by law, complete enrolling such employees to the Employment Insurance and Occupational Accident Insurance on the day they are employed. They may also participate in the Labor Insurance on a voluntary basis. Those failing to comply with these requirements will be subject to applicable fines. Volunteers with no salary income shall not be the applicable subjects of the above insurances.
The BLI explained that, the prospective candidates, if meeting the above conditions for compulsory enrollment, should register as an insured unit, using the name of “XXX – Prospective Candidate of the Presidential/Legislative Campaigns”. They should complete the enrollment procedures for their employees by presenting the required documents, including a copy of the approval letter issued by the Control Yuan for opening a dedicated account of political donations. For incumbent public servants seeking reelection, they may enroll their employees through the insured units already registered. It is not necessary to set up a new insured unit.
The BLI further explained that, when an employee is separated from the job, the employer should apply for his/her withdrawal from the insurance on the day he/she leaves the job. In addition, considering the fact that the workers engaged in campaign activities may need to help the candidate with the related matters including tidying up and the gratitude-showing activities for supporters after the election day, the Ministry of Labor has extended the aforementioned deadline for withdrawal of insurance from “10 days since the election day” to “30 days since the election day”. The purpose is to safeguard the insurance rights of those workers.
The BLI called the attention of the prospective candidates that their employees are exposed to higher risks of occupational accidents, considering the high frequency of campaign activities they are engaged in. To fully protect the rights and interests of their employees, the prospective candidates should complete the enrollment procedures on the day such workers are employed.