5 categories of people can take Taiwan sick leave if COVID positive

台灣5類對象新冠肺炎可請病假

Teachers, students advised to not attend class for up to 6 days after positive COVID test


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) on Thursday (March 9) announced that it will end quarantine and reporting requirements for mild COVID cases, it also listed five categories of people who can take sick leave if they test positive for the virus.

At a press conference, the CECC announced that starting on March 20, mild COVID cases will be exempt from quarantine and reporting requirements and will instead follow a "0+n" formula for their self-health monitoring period. Under the "0+n" scheme, people with mild symptoms are to avoid unnecessary trips outside and engage in up to 10 days of self-health monitoring.

CECC spokesperson Phillip Lo (羅一鈞) explained that soldiers, civil servants, educators, students, and laborers who test positive for COVID but have mild symptoms will be allowed to take up to six days of sick leave without any negative impact on their work or attendance record. However, people who have moderate to severe COVID symptoms should undergo isolation and treatment.

The public's most common concern is whether they can ask for leave if they test positive for COVID, according to Lo. The CECC finally agreed to allow workers with a positive COVID test to take sick leave.

Soldiers will be allowed to take sick leave without incurring disciplinary measures. In addition, civil servants and teachers will be able to take sick leave on "Day 0" of testing positive and up to five more days without an impact on their annual number of sick days or performance appraisal.

Students can also take sick leave on "Day 0" plus five more days, and it will not be included in their absence records. Furthermore, parents can take leave to care for children who are of school age.

Lastly, laborers can take sick leave starting on Day 0 plus five more days, and it will not impact their bonus for full attendance.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) stated teachers and students who test positive but are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms are advised to undergo self-health monitoring. The MOE also suggested that COVID-positive individuals should stay at home from Day 0 and up to an additional five days, unless testing negative earlier.