Taiwan sets NT$45 minimum per-order pay for delivery workers

台灣規定外送員每單最低報酬為新台幣45元

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s legislature on Tuesday passed a law setting a minimum per-order pay of NT$45 (US$1.43) for delivery workers, with amounts adjusted annually according to increases in the hourly minimum wage.

The law designates the Ministry of Labor as the central competent authority, per CNA. The ministry must establish and announce mandatory and prohibited clauses for standardized contracts governing the rights and obligations between platform operators and delivery workers.

These clauses cover pay calculation and payment methods, suspensions, contract terminations, complaint mechanisms, and insurance. Any contracts that violate these provisions will be deemed invalid.

To handle disputes over pay, suspensions, or service periods, the law requires a complaint mechanism for delivery workers. If a contract is terminated due to alleged violations, the operator must set up an independent review panel with at least three members, including one union representative.

Platform operators are barred from retaliating against delivery workers who file or assist with complaints.

Delivery platform operators must provide group accident insurance and liability insurance for contracted delivery workers. Workers cannot be assigned tasks before coverage is in place, though operators may temporarily suspend coverage if a worker provides no service for more than three consecutive days.

Basic per-order pay must equal at least 1.25 times the hourly minimum wage calculated for the service time, and may not fall below NT$45. The guaranteed minimum per-order pay will be adjusted annually based on the previous year’s guaranteed amount multiplied by the annual rate of increase in the hourly minimum wage.

The law stipulates that if a delivery worker suffers an occupational accident and the platform operator fails to report it within eight hours, the operator may be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$300,000. Operators that evade regulatory supervision or inspections may be fined between NT$30,000 and NT$150,000, while breaches of pay requirements may result in fines ranging from NT$20,000 to NT$100,000.

When an operator is fined, the competent authority must publicly disclose the operator’s name, the responsible person, the penalty date, the provisions breached, and the fine amount, and order corrective action within a specified period. Failure to make improvements by the deadline will result in repeated penalties.

The new law will take effect six months after promulgation, with enforcement rules to be jointly drafted by the Ministry of Labor and relevant authorities.