MORE SUBSIDIES HELP KAOHSIUNG BUSINESS TO CREATE FAMILY-FRIENDLY WORKPLACES|高市250人以上企業 僅1成附設托兒設施

Many families in Taiwan have to choose between daycare and their jobs, with the rising cost of child care in the country and a lack of childcare facilities in the workplace.To allow staff to concentrate on their work, the government has called on medium to large enterprises employing to set up such facilities. According to the latest statistics, however, only ten percent of businesses with over 250 employees have childcare facilities. With a large outdoor space for children to run around in and both lively and quiet classes, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital kindergarten has been established for many years and solves the problem of childcare for hospital staff. Nurse Lin Yi-hua has worked at the hospital for 14 years and her son graduated from the kindergarten last year, as her daughter started her first year there. Her husband is also a nurse in the emergency ward and for them, one of the greatest benefits of the hospital childcare facility is that it can accommodate their shift work. ==LIn YI-HUA Registered nurse, Kaohsiung Changgung Memorial Hospital == It coordinates with our shift work and on Saturday when we work outside on shifts. If we are late finishing our work, they can ask teachers to stay. The teachers will adjust schedules for us and wait for us to take the kids home. ==LIAO CHIA-YIN Nutrition advisor, Kaohsiung Changgung Memorial Hospital == We don't have to worry while they are at school. We don't have to worry while we are working if our kids get injured in kindergarten. However, not many businesses have these kinds of facilities. According to Kaohsiung City Government Department of Labor statistics, there are 600 businesses which employ over 100 staff. About half of these give staff subsidies for childcare or offer childcare facilities. However, in businesses with over 250 staff, the figure is only ten percent. From March, Kaohsiung City Government will expand the scope of subsidies for childcare facilities. ==CHENG SU-LING Director, Kaohsiung City Govt. Labor Bureau== This year it has increased. If companies set up breastfeeding rooms, we will take account of it. The maximum amount is NT$10,000. As well as a maximum of NT$10,000 for breastfeeding rooms, an employer can apply for a subsidy for any of its staffs' children going to childcare facilities, including qualified nannies. The DOL hopes that through giving more subsidies, businesses will be more proactive in assisting staff to create a more family-friendly workplace. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR 讓勞工專心工作，政府鼓勵企業設置托兒設施，去年從250人擴大到100人以上的企業。高雄市勞工局統計，100人以上企業600多家，約有5成發放勞工津貼、或是提供托兒設施，但250人以上企業，只有1成附設托兒設施。 擁有廣闊的戶外空間，能讓孩子活動，室內課程兼顧靜態與動態，高雄長庚醫院附設幼兒園，設置多年以來，解決院內員工育兒問題。在醫院工作14年的護理師林宜樺，去年大兒子從幼兒園畢業，小女兒正在小班就讀，由於丈夫同樣擔任急診護理師，醫院提供托嬰、育兒設施，最大好處是能配合輪班出勤時間。 ==高雄長庚護理師 林宜樺== 他可以配合我們要出勤的時間 甚至有時候週六 我們要出外輪班 他們也是可以配合請老師出勤 如果我們因公延遲下班 他們老師也會配合我們 延遲讓我們把小朋友帶回 擔任營養師的廖嘉音也說，幼兒園設在員工宿舍區內，能更專注工作不分心。 ==高雄長庚營養師 廖嘉音== 他們在學校的時間 其實是我們相對放心的 所以我們在工作上 不用去擔心說 我的小孩在幼稚園 會不會受到什麼傷害 不過並非多數企業都有如此貼心設施，根據高雄市勞工局統計，高雄市100人以上企業600多家，約有5成發放勞工津貼、或是提供托兒設施，至於，250人以上企業附設托兒設施，就只剩下1成，高雄市從3月起，放寬托兒措施補助範圍。 ==高雄市勞工局長 鄭素玲== 今年增加了 如果我們事業單位 有設置哺乳室 我們也把它放進去 最高可以申請一萬塊錢 除了哺集乳室最高補助一萬元，另外，企業員工子女送托，不侷限特約機構，只要是合法托兒機構，甚至是合格保母，雇主就可以申請補助，發放勞工津貼，勞工局希望藉由多爭取補助，讓企業能更積極協助，營造友善職場。 記者 李淑蘭 許政俊 高雄報導