Civil Servant Protection Cases Show More Disputes Over Disciplinary Actions and Performance Reviews, Bullying and Sexual Harassment Increasing Annually
Civil servant protection cases in Taiwan have increased from 2015 to 2024, with a growing number of disputes over disciplinary actions and performance evaluations. Cases of workplace sexual harassment and bullying are also rising annually, indicating an evolving landscape for civil servant rights.
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- 📰 Published: April 12, 2026 at 13:28
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Civil servants may file a "review" if they believe an "administrative disposition" by their service agency or personnel authority is illegal or obviously improper, harming their rights or interests. If they believe "management measures or dispositions concerning working conditions" by their service agency are improper, they may file an "appeal" or "re-appeal." After a review or re-appeal decision becomes final, eligible individuals may apply for "re-examination" to the Public Service Protection and Training Commission (PSPTC).
Assistant Professor Chang Teng-wen of the Department of Public Administration and Policy at Tunghai University and Associate Professor Huang Huan-jung of the Department of Social and Public Affairs at University of Taipei, in a paper presented at the Examination Yuan's National Human Resources Forum titled "Trend Analysis of Civil Servant Protection Case Types, Results, and Appellant Categories," synthesized and analyzed data from national civil servant protection cases from 2015 to 2024.
Research indicates that over the past decade, a total of 11,260 protection cases were received, with more than 1,000 cases annually since 2020, showing a year-on-year increase. Among these, review cases were the most numerous at 7,596, accounting for 67.5%; followed by re-appeals at 2,915 (25.9%); re-examinations (review) at 661 (5.9%); and re-examinations (re-appeal) at 88 (0.8%).
Regarding the types of review cases, the research explains that "disciplinary actions" were the most frequent at 1,834 cases, or 24.2%; "performance evaluations" were second with 1,515 cases (20.0%); followed by "public law property rights" at 14.4% and "appointments" at 11.7%. Additionally, gender equality (workplace sexual harassment) cases have been increasing annually, from 5 cases in 2020 to 68 cases in 2024, totaling 156 cases over five years.
Concerning re-appeal case types, the research states that "disciplinary actions" were the most prevalent at 1,270 cases, or 43.6%; "performance evaluations" were second at 721 cases (24.7%). Furthermore, "workplace bullying" cases emerged in 2020 with 8 cases, increasing to 64 by 2024, accumulating 153 cases over five years.
Analyzing the categories of appellants in civil servant protection cases over the past decade, "general personnel" were the most frequent with 4,510 cases (40.1%); followed by "police personnel" with 3,049 cases (27.1%); and "transportation enterprise personnel" ranked third with 6.6%.
Looking at the decision results of civil servant protection cases over the past decade, among the 4 types of protection cases with a total of 9,820 decided outcomes, "rejected" was the most common with 7,054 cases (71.8%); followed by "not accepted" at 19.5%; "revoked" at 8.6%; and "action required" at 0.1%.
In addition, the research notes that over the past 10 years, 16.4% of protection cases entered administrative litigation. Among these, "judgment rejected" was the most frequent with 856 cases (64.5%); others included "ruling rejected" at 20.6%; "withdrawn" at 8.3%; and "substantive revocation" at 5.7%. Consolidating the results from the PSPTC and administrative courts on protection cases, the rejection rate constitutes a significant majority.
The research states that under the concept of special power relations, civil servants have long been obligated to tolerate special state demands. However, with the implementation of the rule of law, especially after Interpretation No. 785 in 2019, the practical limitation that "management measures" could only be appealed or re-appealed and not subjected to administrative litigation has been changed, making the civil servant rights relief system more complete.
The research concludes that overall, since 2020, with adjustments to the scope of review, appeal, and re-appeal relief, cases concerning "disciplinary actions" and "performance evaluations" have become the main categories, now handled through the review procedure. This has led to a surge in review cases, with "gender equality" (workplace sexual harassment) cases growing rapidly in recent years. Conversely, re-appeal cases have decreased annually since 2020, but "workplace bullying" has emerged as a new category with a rising proportion year by year. (Editor: Su Chih-tsung) 1150412
Assistant Professor Chang Teng-wen of the Department of Public Administration and Policy at Tunghai University and Associate Professor Huang Huan-jung of the Department of Social and Public Affairs at University of Taipei, in a paper presented at the Examination Yuan's National Human Resources Forum titled "Trend Analysis of Civil Servant Protection Case Types, Results, and Appellant Categories," synthesized and analyzed data from national civil servant protection cases from 2015 to 2024.
Research indicates that over the past decade, a total of 11,260 protection cases were received, with more than 1,000 cases annually since 2020, showing a year-on-year increase. Among these, review cases were the most numerous at 7,596, accounting for 67.5%; followed by re-appeals at 2,915 (25.9%); re-examinations (review) at 661 (5.9%); and re-examinations (re-appeal) at 88 (0.8%).
Regarding the types of review cases, the research explains that "disciplinary actions" were the most frequent at 1,834 cases, or 24.2%; "performance evaluations" were second with 1,515 cases (20.0%); followed by "public law property rights" at 14.4% and "appointments" at 11.7%. Additionally, gender equality (workplace sexual harassment) cases have been increasing annually, from 5 cases in 2020 to 68 cases in 2024, totaling 156 cases over five years.
Concerning re-appeal case types, the research states that "disciplinary actions" were the most prevalent at 1,270 cases, or 43.6%; "performance evaluations" were second at 721 cases (24.7%). Furthermore, "workplace bullying" cases emerged in 2020 with 8 cases, increasing to 64 by 2024, accumulating 153 cases over five years.
Analyzing the categories of appellants in civil servant protection cases over the past decade, "general personnel" were the most frequent with 4,510 cases (40.1%); followed by "police personnel" with 3,049 cases (27.1%); and "transportation enterprise personnel" ranked third with 6.6%.
Looking at the decision results of civil servant protection cases over the past decade, among the 4 types of protection cases with a total of 9,820 decided outcomes, "rejected" was the most common with 7,054 cases (71.8%); followed by "not accepted" at 19.5%; "revoked" at 8.6%; and "action required" at 0.1%.
In addition, the research notes that over the past 10 years, 16.4% of protection cases entered administrative litigation. Among these, "judgment rejected" was the most frequent with 856 cases (64.5%); others included "ruling rejected" at 20.6%; "withdrawn" at 8.3%; and "substantive revocation" at 5.7%. Consolidating the results from the PSPTC and administrative courts on protection cases, the rejection rate constitutes a significant majority.
The research states that under the concept of special power relations, civil servants have long been obligated to tolerate special state demands. However, with the implementation of the rule of law, especially after Interpretation No. 785 in 2019, the practical limitation that "management measures" could only be appealed or re-appealed and not subjected to administrative litigation has been changed, making the civil servant rights relief system more complete.
The research concludes that overall, since 2020, with adjustments to the scope of review, appeal, and re-appeal relief, cases concerning "disciplinary actions" and "performance evaluations" have become the main categories, now handled through the review procedure. This has led to a surge in review cases, with "gender equality" (workplace sexual harassment) cases growing rapidly in recent years. Conversely, re-appeal cases have decreased annually since 2020, but "workplace bullying" has emerged as a new category with a rising proportion year by year. (Editor: Su Chih-tsung) 1150412