Cabinet unveils NT$9.1bn budget to boost birthrateBy Lee Hsin-fang and Jonathan Chin / Staff reporter, staff writer, with CNAThe Executive Yuan yesterday unveiled a NT$9.1 billion (US$325.1 million) package of subsidies for parental leave, prenatal screenings and in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures in a bid to boost the nation’s birthrate. Amendments to the Employment Insurance Act (就業保險法) and other regulations would increase the allowance for parental leave from 60 percent of insured salary to 80 percent, he said. Workers would have to give employers advance notice before taking parental leave to facilitate staffing arrangements at the workplace, he said. Income restrictions were removed after the program reported that only 52 low and medium-income couples enrolled for IVF subsidies, which produced only seven births over the past six years, he said. Free prenatal screenings would be increased from 10 to 14 for each pregnancy, while coverage would be broadened to include screenings for gestational diabetes and anemia, and two ultrasound tests.

Source: Taipei Times May 06, 2021 15:56 UTC