Peace of Mind for Parents Caring for Their Young: Parental Leave Allowance Applies to Both Parents
To relieve the economic pressure for parents of newborns during parental leave and to strike a balance between work and family life, as well as to encourage men's active involvement in child-rearing, the government launched the “Employment Insurance Parental Leave Allowance” in May 2009. According to statistics from the BLI, from the launch of the policy until the end of July 2023, over 1.01 million individuals have benefited from this program. Notably, the number of men claiming this benefit has increased from just over 4,000 in 2009 to over 20,000 per year today, signifying the fact that a significant number of men are willing to share the responsibility of childcare.
Parents (whether fathers or mothers) who have accumulated at least one year under employment insurance; has children under three years of age; and is on parental leave without pay in accordance with related regulation may apply for parental leave allowance from the B LI, which is calculated based on 60% of the insured person's average monthly salary for the six months prior to the commencement of the parental leave. Additionally, the government provides an extra 20% subsidy for parental leave wage since July 2021, totaling a subsidy and allowance amount is 80% of the insured person’s monthly salary. This subsidy is combined and paid to eligible parents on parental leave without requiring an additional application. Furthermore, since January 2022, both parents are allowed to concurrently claim the parental leave allowance, enabling parents to collectively care for their children with peace of mind.
According to the BLI, if both parents meet the eligibility requirements in Employment Insurance Act and decide to take parental leave simultaneously to care for their child, the two individuals combined are entitled to a total of 12 months of parental leave allowance and wage subsidy over a period of six months. For example, if the average monthly insured salaries of both parents are NTD 42,000, each parent can receive NTD33,600 per month. Over six months, they can receive a total of NTD 403,200.
The BLI advises that parents can apply for the Parental Leave Allowance by using their Citizen Digital Certificate or Virtual Labor Insurance Certificate to log in to the BLI’s e-Service system for online applications. Applicants can also request their insured units to apply online or submit written applications by mail or in person at the BLI. We remind all mothers and fathers to seize the opportunity to accompany their children's growth and not forgo their own rights and benefits.