KUALA LUMPUR - Taiwan’s Ministry of Labour (MOL) has launched a free video legal consultation service for workers facing suspected pregnancy or gender-based workplace discrimination.

Taipei Times reported that the service is also open to migrant workers and foreign nationals employed in Taiwan.

“We hope to provide a consultation channel that is professional, private and convenient,” said Huang Chi-ya, head of the MOL’s Department of Labour Standards and Equal Employment.

She said the initiative is designed to make workers feel less intimidated about seeking help compared to filing complaints directly with local authorities.

Developed in partnership with the Legal Aid Foundation, the service opened for reservations on Tuesday.

It will begin offering one-on-one video consultations with lawyers from April 1 for workers who suspect they have experienced pregnancy or gender-based discrimination, Huang said.

According to the MOL, the service is available to all workers regardless of nationality.

It also covers concerns related to maternity and paternity leave protections, as well as workplace sexual harassment.

Legal Aid Foundation chief executive officer Steven Chou said the service will accommodate migrant workers and foreign employees who do not speak Mandarin.

He said interpretation assistance will be provided where necessary.

Each consultation will last 40 minutes, with one lawyer assigned to each morning and afternoon session on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he said.

Chou added that 33 specially trained lawyers have joined the programme, with more currently being recruited.

Huang said an MOL survey conducted last year found that more than half of women believed pregnant workers faced discrimination in the workplace.

She said 27.8 per cent of respondents reported having personally experienced such discrimination.

Among those who faced unfriendly treatment during pregnancy, 43 per cent considered filing a complaint but had “concerns” that “their identities may be exposed” or that “the process will be lengthy and ineffective,” she said.

The MOL last year also released data from its 2024 workplace sexual harassment reporting system.

The figures showed that 1,577 complaints were filed, of which 949, or 60.2 per cent, were substantiated.

A further 396 cases, or 25.1 per cent, were found to be unsubstantiated.

Huang said the video consultation service is expected to handle more than 600 cases annually.

She added that the programme has been allocated a budget of NT$2 million, with adjustments to be made based on demand.