Taipei, April 18 (CNA) Taiwan’s Control Yuan has censured the Labor Affairs Bureau of Taichung for failing to properly safeguard two Indonesian migrant caregivers who were subjected to abuse and forced labor.
In a press release issued on Friday, Control Yuan members said the bureau conducted rather perfunctory inspections of migrant caregivers and missed critical opportunities to intervene, failing to protect their rights and committing serious negligence.
One caregiver, referred to as “S,” was regularly beaten, had water forcefully sprayed into her mouth, and was forced to work up to 21 hours a day without receiving full pay, according to the Control Yuan’s findings.
Another caregiver, “W,” also endured exploitative labor conditions, the watchdog said.
Although the labor bureau conducted an initial interview with “S,” it failed to detect any signs of abuse, partly because her employer closely monitored the visit.
“S” arrived in April 2022 to care for a family member in her employer’s household, and over nine months, she was physically abused by three members of the family. Authorities later identified her as a victim of human trafficking.
“W” arrived in Taiwan in January 2022 to care for a fully dependent individual. She was reportedly forced to work from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. everyday, and was also asked to carry out medical procedures such as phlegm suctioning, the watchdog said.
Despite “W” filing complaints starting in May 2022, the Taichung authorities failed to conduct timely inspections, citing COVID-19 restrictions, the Control Yuan said.
According to the watchdog, the bureau did not follow up via phone either. It only inspected the case after “W” had already left her job, missing the chance to assess her working conditions firsthand.
Under the Control Act, the agency receiving the censure must promptly implement appropriate corrective measures and provide a written response to the Control Yuan.
If the agency fails to respond with improvements or does not provide a written reply within two months, the Control Yuan may, upon committee resolution, issue a written inquiry or summon the responsible official for questioning.
