Civil servants' unpaid leave for caring for relatives with major illnesses may include siblings and grandchildren
Taiwan's Ministry of Examination plans to amend regulations for civil servants' unpaid leave for major illness care, extending eligibility to include grandchildren with specific circumstances and siblings. This aims to adapt to changing family structures and promote a more friendly workplace environment, with specific approval criteria for different family members.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 18:14
- 🔍 Collected: May 13, 2026 at 18:32 (17 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 14, 2026 at 01:10 (6h 38m after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Taipei, May 13, reporter Gao Hua-qian) The current regulations for civil servants' unpaid leave are set to be amended by the Ministry of Examination. For those applying for unpaid leave to care for lineal ascendants, spouses, or children with major illnesses defined by the National Health Insurance Act, agencies may not refuse. Additionally, grandchildren with "specific circumstances" and siblings will be added as care recipients. Agencies may not refuse leave for grandchildren with major illnesses; leave for caring for siblings with major illnesses will be approved or denied at the agency's discretion.
The Ministry of Examination yesterday announced draft amendments to Articles 5 and 6 of the Regulations for Civil Servants' Unpaid Leave. The key points are to adapt to changing family structures and implement a friendly workplace environment, expanding the scope of relatives eligible for major illness care leave to include grandchildren and siblings, with approval authority varying based on the relationship and condition.
Under current regulations, agencies have the discretion to approve or deny applications from civil servants to care for relatives with major illnesses. The draft amendment stipulates that for relatives including lineal ascendants of the applicant or their spouse, spouses, children, and the newly added grandchildren with "specific circumstances" whose illnesses fall within the scope of major illnesses defined by the National Health Insurance Act, agencies may not refuse the application.
The draft explains that other situations will be approved or denied at the agency's discretion, including when the care recipient's illness is not within the scope of major illnesses defined by the National Health Insurance Act, and when caring for siblings with "specific circumstances" and major illnesses; for caring for siblings, the maximum period of unpaid leave is 1 year.
The draft states that "specific circumstances" include situations where grandchildren cannot be cared for by both parents, and where grandchildren or siblings have no spouse or children, are separated from their spouse with no children, their spouse or children have a major illness or disability, or their children are minors.
According to Appendix 1 of Article 2 of the Regulations for Exemption from Self-Payment for National Health Insurance Beneficiaries, there are 30 major illness categories, including cancers requiring active or long-term treatment, severe hemolytic and aplastic anemia, chronic renal failure (uremia) requiring regular dialysis, systemic autoimmune syndromes requiring lifelong treatment, chronic mental illness, organ transplantation, congenital immune deficiencies, and Hansen's disease.
In addition, the draft stipulates that applications for unpaid leave should generally be for a period of no less than 30 days. However, to balance agency operations and civil servants' short-term care needs, and referencing the Regulations for Implementation of Parental Leave, an amendment is added allowing applications for less than 30 days to be made on a daily basis, but totaling no more than 30 days. Considering that various relatives may have urgent short-term care needs, the accumulation for caring for relatives will be based on the same individual, while other reasons will be accumulated based on the same reason, with agencies controlling the number of days.
The draft provides an example: if a civil servant applies for parental leave (including extension) for their eldest child, and the first application is for 20 days and the second for 10 days, reaching the 30-day limit, then any subsequent application for parental leave (including extension) for the eldest child must be for 30 days or more. However, if they apply for parental leave for their eldest daughter, the 30-day daily application limit is calculated separately.
The draft also states that, referencing the Regulations for Implementation of Leave, unpaid leave should generally be applied for in advance, with applications for periods of 30 days or more submitted 10 days prior; applications for periods less than 30 days submitted 5 days prior. However, for parental or grandparental leave, if a child or grandchild falls ill, childcare is suspended, or school is suspended and personal care is required, applications may be submitted 1 day prior. If an application is not submitted within the deadline due to natural disaster or other reasons not attributable to the applicant, agencies will handle the case at their discretion based on the actual situation. (Edited by Wan Shu-chang) 1150513
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(Central News Agency, Taipei, May 13, reporter Gao Hua-qian) The current regulations for civil servants' unpaid leave are set to be amended by the Ministry of Examination. For those applying for unpaid leave to care for lineal ascendants, spouses, or children with major illnesses defined by the National Health Insurance Act, agencies may not refuse. Additionally, grandchildren with "specific circumstances" and siblings will be added as care recipients. Agencies may not refuse leave for grandchildren with major illnesses; leave for caring for siblings with major illnesses will be approved or denied at the agency's discretion.
The Ministry of Examination yesterday announced draft amendments to Articles 5 and 6 of the Regulations for Civil Servants' Unpaid Leave. The key points are to adapt to changing family structures and implement a friendly workplace environment, expanding the scope of relatives eligible for major illness care leave to include grandchildren and siblings, with approval authority varying based on the relationship and condition.
Under current regulations, agencies have the discretion to approve or deny applications from civil servants to care for relatives with major illnesses. The draft amendment stipulates that for relatives including lineal ascendants of the applicant or their spouse, spouses, children, and the newly added grandchildren with "specific circumstances" whose illnesses fall within the scope of major illnesses defined by the National Health Insurance Act, agencies may not refuse the application.
The draft explains that other situations will be approved or denied at the agency's discretion, including when the care recipient's illness is not within the scope of major illnesses defined by the National Health Insurance Act, and when caring for siblings with "specific circumstances" and major illnesses; for caring for siblings, the maximum period of unpaid leave is 1 year.
The draft states that "specific circumstances" include situations where grandchildren cannot be cared for by both parents, and where grandchildren or siblings have no spouse or children, are separated from their spouse with no children, their spouse or children have a major illness or disability, or their children are minors.
According to Appendix 1 of Article 2 of the Regulations for Exemption from Self-Payment for National Health Insurance Beneficiaries, there are 30 major illness categories, including cancers requiring active or long-term treatment, severe hemolytic and aplastic anemia, chronic renal failure (uremia) requiring regular dialysis, systemic autoimmune syndromes requiring lifelong treatment, chronic mental illness, organ transplantation, congenital immune deficiencies, and Hansen's disease.
In addition, the draft stipulates that applications for unpaid leave should generally be for a period of no less than 30 days. However, to balance agency operations and civil servants' short-term care needs, and referencing the Regulations for Implementation of Parental Leave, an amendment is added allowing applications for less than 30 days to be made on a daily basis, but totaling no more than 30 days. Considering that various relatives may have urgent short-term care needs, the accumulation for caring for relatives will be based on the same individual, while other reasons will be accumulated based on the same reason, with agencies controlling the number of days.
The draft provides an example: if a civil servant applies for parental leave (including extension) for their eldest child, and the first application is for 20 days and the second for 10 days, reaching the 30-day limit, then any subsequent application for parental leave (including extension) for the eldest child must be for 30 days or more. However, if they apply for parental leave for their eldest daughter, the 30-day daily application limit is calculated separately.
The draft also states that, referencing the Regulations for Implementation of Leave, unpaid leave should generally be applied for in advance, with applications for periods of 30 days or more submitted 10 days prior; applications for periods less than 30 days submitted 5 days prior. However, for parental or grandparental leave, if a child or grandchild falls ill, childcare is suspended, or school is suspended and personal care is required, applications may be submitted 1 day prior. If an application is not submitted within the deadline due to natural disaster or other reasons not attributable to the applicant, agencies will handle the case at their discretion based on the actual situation. (Edited by Wan Shu-chang) 1150513
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The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.