Virus Outbreak: Record 922 firms furlough staff amid slowdown: ministryStaff writer, with CNAMore than 900 companies had furloughed employees as of the end of last month, an indication that the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to hurt local businesses, especially smaller ones, Ministry of Labor data showed. Ministry of Labor statistics released on Friday showed that 18,840 workers from 922 companies have been placed on unpaid leave, an increase of 575 workers from 118 companies from a week earlier. Larger firms have been less likely to put employees on temporary leave because of subsidies received from the government, Huang said. The manufacturing sector had 6,501 workers on unpaid leave, the most of any sector over the past week, ministry data showed. The hospitality sector followed with 4,304 employees on temporary leave, while the retail and wholesale sector had 3,645 workers furloughed and the supportive services sector had 1,332.

Source: Taipei Times May 02, 2020 15:56 UTC