
Work could soon be suspended on days of ‘extreme heat’
Facing the climate crisis, the Meteorological Act is in the process of being amended to included extreme heat as a form of hazardous weather. After the relevant legislative hearing on Monday, the draft bill could soon be unveiled. If passed, days with temperatures over 35 degrees could allow for work and class suspensions. Let’s find out more.
Summer and fall are getting hotter. Now, a legislative committee has approved an amendment to designate extreme heat as a form of hazardous weather, which would allow work suspensions. Labor groups say they also want “extreme cold” to be included.
Hsu Chih-chieh
Lawmaker (DPP)
There must be a standard for what constitutes as extreme heat or extreme cold. It’s not that a day off is guaranteed when it gets hot or cold.
Jonathan Lin
Lawmaker (KMT)
Our party caucus has not begun discussing this yet. What we may think of as “cold” is different from extremely low temperatures that could threaten our lives and safety, so I believe this warrants more discussion.
According to statistics, the number of extremely hot days with temperatures over 35 degrees stands at more than 70 in Taipei alone. Whereas countrywide, the number in 2024 is twice as many as in 2023. Heat-related injuries also continue to rise.
Cho Jung-tai
Premier
Currently, the Ministry of Labor has a set of guidance on working under high temperatures, which aims to protect workers’ safety. However, we still need to consider medically proved effects of high temperatures on the human body, as well as meteorological studies on climate adaptation.
So, what is the public’s view on the issue?
Member of public
Weighs in on “extreme weather leave”
It doesn’t make a difference for office workers, but of course office workers are happy to have as many days off as possible.
Member of public
Weighs in on “extreme weather leave”
I don’t think “cold holidays” are necessary, but “heat holidays” certainly are. But in terms of extreme heat, it all boils down to how humankind can be more environmentally conscious.
The Central Weather Administrator Lu Kuo-chen stated that even if the amendment passes, extreme heat “holidays” still wouldn’t necessarily result in full-day work and class suspensions. Instead, companies and schools would have the discretion to reschedule in case of extreme heat. Currently, Taiwan’s heat warnings are in a graded system, with yellow for temperatures over 36 degrees, orange over 37 degrees and red over 38, and updated every three hours. After the amendment passes, the warning system will be more refined and require more timely responses from authorities.
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#weather #climatecrisis #extremeheat #labor #workersrights
2025-11-04