Taiwanese Couple Gets Married And Divorced 4 Times To Exploit Country’s Marriage Leave Law
When people take advantage of systems that are in place for their own benefit, it usually ends up with those systems being restricted, changed, or canceled altogether to deter others from capitalizing on them.
The phrase "this is why we can't have nice things" comes to mind when considering one Taiwanese couple's scam to repeatedly get married and divorced in order to collect paid marriage leave from their jobs.
Some Countries Offer Paid "Honeymoon" Days For Newlyweds
In places like Malta, Vietnam, and China, it is standard for companies to provide two days off for newlyweds following their wedding ceremony.
In Taiwan, companies are legally obliged to offer a total of eight paid vacation days for newlyweds.
One Couple Plotted To Take Advantage Of The 8-Day Vacation Period For Newlyweds In Taiwan
An unnamed couple from Taiwan planned to scam their workplaces by having multiple weddings and claiming their entitled vacation days.
Since they were unable to get married again after already tying the knot, they also planned to have multiple divorces.
They Got Married And Divorced 4 Times In 37 Days
The two were married for the first time on April 6, 2020, but swiftly divorced on April 16. Then they said "I do" again the following day on April 17th and filed for a second divorce on April 28.
They wed again on April 29 and finalized their third divorce on May 11. The final marriage happened on May 12.
They Managed To Get 37 "Legal" Honeymoon Vacation Days From Their Employer
The couple managed to pull off the elaborate scheme a few times before they decided they had acquired enough vacation time — 37 days to be exact.
The husband in question worked for a local bank. Legally, the bank was required to provide him with the vacation days. However, the bank was not eager to meet the demands and denied his request.
He Reported His Workplace To The Taipei City Labor Department
When the man's 37-day vacation request was denied, he reported his workplace to the Taipei labor board.
The bank was initially fined for violating vacation leave regulations, a total of TWD$20,000 (equivalent to USD$670).
There Is Currently No Law Restricting How Often People Can Apply For Marriage Leave
The fine on the bank was revoked when the head of the Taipei Labor Department admitted they had made a mistake and wanted to correct it.
He also announced that the city would be re-examining the marriage leave regulation, aiming to prevent the loophole from being exploited again in the future.
The Selfish Scheme Has Caused A Stir Online
Even though the couple currently remains nameless in the mainstream media, the man at the center of the story quit his job at the bank in the wake of the story.
Lots of people online shared their anger at the selfishness of the couple who may have jeopardized the process of marriage leave for the rest of the country.
The Labor Bureau Will Be Reviewing The National Marriage Leave Policy
Taipei deputy mayor Huang Shanshan posted on Facebook to call on the labor bureau to re-evaluate the current policies on marriage leave to ensure that they cannot be abused in the future.
"It is clear that the employee used the marriage leave and exploited a loophole to benefit from it," Shanshan said, adding "people should not act in bad faith."
What Will The Future Of Marriage Leave Look Like In Taiwan?
Taiwan is already one of the only places in the world that offer the unique benefit of marriage leave, at a generous 8 days nonetheless.
Based on this couple's ability to swindle the system, it will likely face some serious restrictions and modifications in the future.
Was It Worth It For The Quadruple-Wed Couple?
The man who quit his job at the bank continues to fight the labor board claiming that his workplace still owes him 24 days of vacation.
The harsh criticism the couple has faced online is sure to follow them around as they try to move forward as newlyweds.
