Guolaosi in Taiwan: overwork rules and how to claim

Guolaosi (過勞死) is the word used in Taiwan for "death from overwork". Taiwan's Ministry of Labor has a guideline for deciding when a stroke or heart disease was caused by work. More than 100 hours of overtime in the month before shows a very strong link. Families claim through the Bureau of Labor Insurance.

If you are reading this after a sudden loss, we are so sorry. If you are worried about your own hours, you are wise to look now. This page explains the rules step by step.

When does Taiwan count a death as caused by overwork?

The Ministry of Labor (MOL) guideline was last revised on 15 October 2018. It looks at overtime in the six months before the illness:

Overtime per month before the illness	How the link to work is judged	Source
Under 45 hours in each of the 1 to 6 months	Weak link	MOL guideline, 2018
More than 45 hours	The link grows as hours grow	MOL guideline, 2018
More than 100 hours in the month before	Very strong link	MOL guideline, 2018
More than 80 hours a month on average, over any 2 to 6 months	Very strong link	MOL guideline, 2018

Hours are not the only thing that counts. The guideline also looks at:

• a sudden shock at work in the 24 hours before the illness;
• a very heavy week just before the illness;
• other strains over months: irregular hours, shift or night work, heat or cold, noise and travel across time zones.

What are the legal working hours in Taiwan?

The Labor Standards Act (勞動基準法) sets these limits:

Working hours rule in Taiwan	Limit	Source
Normal hours (Article 30)	8 hours a day, 40 hours a week	Labor Standards Act
Longest working day, with overtime (Article 32)	12 hours	Labor Standards Act
Overtime (Article 32)	46 hours a month	Labor Standards Act
Overtime with a union or labour-management agreement	54 hours a month, and 138 hours in any 3 months	Labor Standards Act

The 40-hour week started on 1 January 2016.

Notice that the legal overtime limit (46 hours) is close to where the risk starts to grow (45 hours).

How many overwork cases are there in Taiwan?

We could not find a recent official count of approved overwork claims. So we share the closest official figures, and explain what they measure.

Taiwan has a network of hospitals for work-related illness. In 2024, they reported 42 diagnoses of work-triggered stroke or heart disease. In 2023, there were 56. From 2008 to 2024, there were 433.

These are doctors' reports, not insurance payments. The real number of people harmed is likely different.

How does a family claim in Taiwan?

Since 1 May 2022, the Labor Occupational Accident Insurance and Protection Act (勞工職業災害保險及保護法) covers work-related illness and death. The Bureau of Labor Insurance (勞動部勞工保險局) runs it.

After a work-related death, the family may receive:

• a funeral allowance (喪葬津貼);
• a survivors' pension (遺屬年金), or
• a survivors' lump sum (遺屬一次金) of 40 months of the average insured salary.

The right to claim ends after 5 years (Article 37).

The employer may also owe money. Under the Labor Standards Act, Article 59, it covers funeral costs of 5 months' average wages. It also owes death compensation of 40 months' average wages.

What if the insurer is not sure the death was caused by work?

There is an expert review called occupational disease assessment (職業病鑑定). It is set out in Article 75 of the same law.

Specialist doctors can help. Taiwan has 19 main hospitals and 103 network hospitals for work-related illness. A doctor there can look at the work history and the hours.

What to collect: clock-in records, rosters, overtime pay slips, messages from managers and hospital notes. Write down what you remember about the last six months of work.

Is overwork linked to suicide?

Heavy work stress can harm mental health. But suicide is never caused by work alone. WHO says the reasons are "multi-faceted".

Most people under heavy pressure at work do not become suicidal. Help works. In Taiwan, you can call 1925 for free, 24 hours a day.

Where can you get help in Taiwan?

• 1955 labour hotline: free, 24 hours, every day. Help in Chinese, English, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Thai (Ministry of Labor). Call 1955.
• Hospitals for work-related illness: find one on the OSHA list.
• 1925 care hotline: free emotional support, 24 hours (Ministry of Health and Welfare).

What can you do today?

If your overtime often goes past 45 hours a month, keep your own record of your hours. See a doctor if you have chest pain, bad headaches or feel exhausted all the time. Our guide to overwork warning signs and your rights can help.

If you lost someone, give yourself time. You have 5 years to claim. Today, you only need to take one small step.