Public Criticizes Six Makeup Work Days This Year 今年6補班日引民怨 人事長:擬每年不超過3次

In response to public anger, the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration says it is considering five proposals to cap the number of makeup work days at three per year.

Everyone enjoys long weekends, but not if they have to make up a work day on a Saturday. There are six makeup work days on the public calendar this year, including three in February and March. This means there are only seven non-work days in March.

Su Chun-jung, Minister, Directorate-General of Personnel Administration: “Do you all want a six-day Lunar New Year holiday in the future? Is that what you want? Do you all accept that? If so, that's great. That would give us more options to consider.”

Su Chun-jung says there are people that don't mind making up work days and the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration is considering different proposals for setting the number of makeup work days at a maximum of three. A final proposal will be sent to the Executive Yuan before the end of May with an announcement made before the end of June.

Lai Hsiang-lin, Legislator (TPP): “Lunar New Year's Eve, Lunar New Year's Day, Children's Day and the Tomb Sweeping Festival. So, are we no longer considering the Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival?”
Su Chun-jung, Minister, Directorate-General of Personnel Administration: “That's one of the plans we're considering. One is solely the day before Lunar New Year's Eve, and the other is the day before Lunar New Year's Eve, the Tomb Sweeping Festival and Children's Day. Another is those plus the Mid-Autumn Festival and Dragon Boat Festival.”

If the current system remains in place, 2030 will be the next time there will be six makeup work days in a year. Ruling and opposition lawmakers are calling for more public holidays, as this is a trend being seen around the world and various western countries offering a four-day workweek.

Tseng Ming-chung, KMT Caucus Convener: “The more public holidays there are, the less working time there is. This is the way the world is going. If you legalize this, then you should set an upper and lower limit.”
Hua Ching-chun, Deputy Minister of the Interior: “This requires more discussion. I personally think more flexibility is a good thing.”

The Ministry of the Interior says it will take everyone's opinion into consideration. Currently, there are 115-116 public holidays a year. This number includes weekends.

放連假、好心情，但碰上補班日，民眾看法就大不相同。今年總共有6個補班日，光是2月就有兩個週六需要補班，而3月則是有一個週六需要補班，導致3月份休假日剩下7天，掀起民怨。

人事行政總處人事長蘇俊榮表示：「大家想像我們未來過年就是只有6天假，大家接受嗎？如果接受我覺得那很棒，我們又多了一些選項，可以一起討論。」

6個補班日到底是好是壞，蘇俊榮說每個人期望值都不一樣，目前已經研擬5個方案，趕在5月底前送行政院核定，希望未來每年補班最多調整3次，並在6月底前公告。

民眾黨立委賴香伶指出：「除夕、春節、兒童節，加清明掃墓節，所以端午、中秋是不是未來不太考慮？」

人事行政總處人事長蘇俊榮提及：「這也是我們幾個方案之一，一個是純小年夜的，另外一個小年夜加清明兒童，另外一個是小年夜清明兒童再加中秋跟端午。」

如果依照現行規定走的話，到了2030年，補班日又會跟今年一樣高達6次，人事總處表示沒有預設立場，會聽取民眾意見，彈性調整。受到歐美國家週休三日等趨勢影響，朝野立委也紛紛提案加碼國定假日。

國民黨團總召曾銘宗說道：「放假的天數越多，工作的時數越來越少，這是個趨勢。那假設法制化的話，你要不要訂一個上限，一個下限。」

內政部次長花敬群表示：「這部分還需要討論，我反而會覺得，其實讓各行各業多一點自由。」

國內目前全年總放假日數介於115天到116天，主管國定假日的內政部回應，各界聲音多元，仍須廣泛聽取意見，再審慎衡酌。