Civil Servant Performance Evaluation Law Amendments Submitted for Review: 'Not Meeting Good' Criteria Expanded to 9, Suspension Period Reduced to 3 Months
Taiwan's Ministry of Examination has submitted amendments to the Civil Servant Performance Evaluation Law for review by the Examination Yuan. Compared to the March draft, the criteria for 'not meeting good' evaluations have expanded from 6 to 9 items, including severe mismanagement. The maximum suspension period for investigations into serious misconduct like sexual harassment and bullying has been reduced from cumulative 6 months to 3 months.
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- 📰 Published: May 10, 2026 at 15:54
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Kao Hua-chien, Taipei 10th) The Ministry of Examination submitted amendments to the Civil Servant Performance Evaluation Law to the Examination Yuan for review in April. Compared to the draft circulated for public comment in March, the criteria for performance evaluations 'not meeting good' have increased from 6 to 9 items, adding types such as severe mismanagement. The maximum pre-suspension period for investigations into serious sexual harassment, stalking, and bullying has been reduced from a cumulative maximum of 6 months to 3 months.
The civil servant performance evaluation system has long been criticized by grassroots for issues such as the 75% 'Excellent' grade cap and the phenomenon of new recruits 'taking turns getting Good'. After announcing the draft amendment to the Civil Servant Performance Evaluation Law on March 23rd and collecting public opinions, the Ministry of Examination officially submitted the amendment to the Examination Yuan for review on April 22nd; it will then be sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation after approval by the Examination Yuan meeting.
The April version of the amendment states that the current 'performance evaluation' includes easily confusing concepts such as year-end evaluation, additional evaluation, and special evaluation. Therefore, this amendment deletes 'special evaluation' and clearly divides performance evaluations into two major categories: 'work performance evaluation' and 'rewards and punishments'. 'Work performance evaluation' is a comprehensive year-end assessment of work performance, while 'rewards and punishments' are immediate individual rewards or penalties given by agencies, further subdivided into 'ordinary assessment rewards and punishments' and 'service penalties' for violations of service laws or disciplinary actions. Service penalties cannot offset ordinary assessment rewards.
Furthermore, the March draft classified 'one major merit of two' or 'one major demerit of two' under special rewards and punishments; the April version incorporates both into 'ordinary assessment rewards and punishments' to align with the design of immediate rewarding of excellence and penalizing of poor performance. At the same time, 'service penalties' retain the 'one major demerit of two' disposition for those who violate service laws or disciplinary actions.
Regarding the performance evaluation grades, both the April and March versions stipulate that work performance evaluations will be divided into three grades: Excellent, Good, and Not Meeting Good. Both Excellent and Good grades can lead to a one-grade increase in basic salary, with 1.3 months and 1 month of salary respectively, and the current practical 75% 'Excellent' grade limit is abolished. Those 'not meeting good' will retain their original salary grade and will be dismissed if they fail to meet expectations after a six-month improvement period or if they receive a 'not meeting good' evaluation for the second time within three years. During the improvement period, they may not be promoted, appointed, or transferred to supervisory positions.
The differences are that the April version expanded the 'not meeting good' situations to 9 items: first, major negligence in handling duties resulting in casualties or property loss; second, extremely poor attitude in performing duties with serious circumstances; third, shirk responsibility, slack off, or fail to complete duties on time with serious circumstances; fourth, poor work quality with serious circumstances; fifth, seriously affecting teamwork in promoting duties with serious circumstances.
Also, sixth, mismanagement seriously affecting the effectiveness of teamwork in promoting duties; seventh, cumulative major demerit after offsetting ordinary assessment rewards and punishments; eighth, cumulative absenteeism of 2 days; ninth, exceeding 30 days of paid leave (deducted from salary/wage).
The Ministry of Examination also explained that 'serious circumstances' are determined by agencies based on the frequency of individual cases or the severity of the situation. As for civil servants taking family care leave and physical and mental adjustment leave, these are calculated as part of sick leave, and extended sick leave or sick leave exceeding regulated days (including physiological leave calculated as part of sick leave and sick leave due to prenatal care reasons) offset by personal leave are not included in the ninth item's regulated personal leave days.
In addition, for investigations into serious misconducts such as plotting treason, involvement in national security violations, corruption, sexual assault, leaking secrets causing significant government damage, violating occupational safety and health regulations resulting in deaths or injuries, and serious sexual harassment, stalking, and bullying, the April version reduces the pre-suspension period from a cumulative maximum of 6 months to 3 months to urge agencies to complete investigations as soon as possible. (Editor: Lin Ke-lun) 1150510
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(Central News Agency reporter Kao Hua-chien, Taipei 10th) The Ministry of Examination submitted amendments to the Civil Servant Performance Evaluation Law to the Examination Yuan for review in April. Compared to the draft circulated for public comment in March, the criteria for performance evaluations 'not meeting good' have increased from 6 to 9 items, adding types such as severe mismanagement. The maximum pre-suspension period for investigations into serious sexual harassment, stalking, and bullying has been reduced from a cumulative maximum of 6 months to 3 months.
The civil servant performance evaluation system has long been criticized by grassroots for issues such as the 75% 'Excellent' grade cap and the phenomenon of new recruits 'taking turns getting Good'. After announcing the draft amendment to the Civil Servant Performance Evaluation Law on March 23rd and collecting public opinions, the Ministry of Examination officially submitted the amendment to the Examination Yuan for review on April 22nd; it will then be sent to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation after approval by the Examination Yuan meeting.
The April version of the amendment states that the current 'performance evaluation' includes easily confusing concepts such as year-end evaluation, additional evaluation, and special evaluation. Therefore, this amendment deletes 'special evaluation' and clearly divides performance evaluations into two major categories: 'work performance evaluation' and 'rewards and punishments'. 'Work performance evaluation' is a comprehensive year-end assessment of work performance, while 'rewards and punishments' are immediate individual rewards or penalties given by agencies, further subdivided into 'ordinary assessment rewards and punishments' and 'service penalties' for violations of service laws or disciplinary actions. Service penalties cannot offset ordinary assessment rewards.
Furthermore, the March draft classified 'one major merit of two' or 'one major demerit of two' under special rewards and punishments; the April version incorporates both into 'ordinary assessment rewards and punishments' to align with the design of immediate rewarding of excellence and penalizing of poor performance. At the same time, 'service penalties' retain the 'one major demerit of two' disposition for those who violate service laws or disciplinary actions.
Regarding the performance evaluation grades, both the April and March versions stipulate that work performance evaluations will be divided into three grades: Excellent, Good, and Not Meeting Good. Both Excellent and Good grades can lead to a one-grade increase in basic salary, with 1.3 months and 1 month of salary respectively, and the current practical 75% 'Excellent' grade limit is abolished. Those 'not meeting good' will retain their original salary grade and will be dismissed if they fail to meet expectations after a six-month improvement period or if they receive a 'not meeting good' evaluation for the second time within three years. During the improvement period, they may not be promoted, appointed, or transferred to supervisory positions.
The differences are that the April version expanded the 'not meeting good' situations to 9 items: first, major negligence in handling duties resulting in casualties or property loss; second, extremely poor attitude in performing duties with serious circumstances; third, shirk responsibility, slack off, or fail to complete duties on time with serious circumstances; fourth, poor work quality with serious circumstances; fifth, seriously affecting teamwork in promoting duties with serious circumstances.
Also, sixth, mismanagement seriously affecting the effectiveness of teamwork in promoting duties; seventh, cumulative major demerit after offsetting ordinary assessment rewards and punishments; eighth, cumulative absenteeism of 2 days; ninth, exceeding 30 days of paid leave (deducted from salary/wage).
The Ministry of Examination also explained that 'serious circumstances' are determined by agencies based on the frequency of individual cases or the severity of the situation. As for civil servants taking family care leave and physical and mental adjustment leave, these are calculated as part of sick leave, and extended sick leave or sick leave exceeding regulated days (including physiological leave calculated as part of sick leave and sick leave due to prenatal care reasons) offset by personal leave are not included in the ninth item's regulated personal leave days.
In addition, for investigations into serious misconducts such as plotting treason, involvement in national security violations, corruption, sexual assault, leaking secrets causing significant government damage, violating occupational safety and health regulations resulting in deaths or injuries, and serious sexual harassment, stalking, and bullying, the April version reduces the pre-suspension period from a cumulative maximum of 6 months to 3 months to urge agencies to complete investigations as soon as possible. (Editor: Lin Ke-lun) 1150510
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