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當外籍教師為外語短期補習班工作，而補習班將外師的薪資扣留，作為任職的工作押金，以確保外師在補習班的任職期限。類似上述的情形，通常，外師可以有三種途徑將被扣留的薪資要求返還。

When you quit working for your foreign language dwan chee bushiban if the school takes part of your wages or tries to collect a deposit against you, there are three routes open for you to have your losses returned by the school. Today we will focus on one: a Council of Labor Affairs Arbitration Hearing, a readily available, cost-free, efficient means to resolve issues of illegitimate wage garnishing.

.今日，我們將討論的焦點放在其中一種途徑︰勞工局的「調解委員會」。這是一個可以隨時提出申訴，完全免費，而且具有法律效力意義的處理方式，也可將外師違法被雇主扣留的薪資取回。

Before getting to the Arbitration hearing, it's important to note the two other options: a school-to-teacher negotiation with a Council of Labor Affairs Specialist, and a civil suit. While each of these have their merits, we will leave their explanation for another article.

.首先，我們先來瞭解相關法令。外籍教師與服務之學校（或補習班）之間簽立之契約，在民法上稱為僱傭契約。因依「勞動基準法」（簡稱「勞基法」）第三條第三項之規定，一切僱傭關係於民國八十七年底之前，除有窒礙難行者外，均適用勞基法。因此，外籍教師與外語補習班間之僱傭關係是受勞動基準法之行業。外語補習班就其與外籍老師間成立之僱傭契約，不得違反勞動基準法之規定。

Contracts between employers and employees in Taiwan are governed by the Labor Standards Act. By order of the Council of Labor Affairs, Executive Yuan in 1998, in the Labor Standards Act, Article 3, contracts between Foreign Teachers and dwan chee bushibans are also governed by the Labor Standards Act. Therefore, such contracts cannot violate the provisions of the Labor Standards Act.

.依勞基法第二十六條規定，雇主不得預扣勞工工資，作為違約金或賠償費用。如外語補習班或學校於外籍教師主動離職時，以外籍教師離職為理由扣留部分薪資作為違約金者，已違反上述規定。依勞基法第七十八條之規定，雇主違反第二十六條之規定者，科三萬元（銀元）以下罰金。此外，該條之處罰屬刑事責任，如雇主違反者，法院將會依法為刑事判決。
*註：「勞基法」第七十八條：違反第十三條、第十七條、第二十六條、第五十條、第五十一條或第五十五條第一項規定者，科三萬元以下罰金。

Article 26 of the Labor Standards Act states that:
     An employer shall not make any advance deduction of wages as punitive damages or indemnity.
Any dwan chee bushiban that makes deductions against earned wages when you quit your job or tries to collect any deposit for quitting is in obvious violation of the act. Doing so not only opens the school up to a fine of up to NT$90,000 under Article 78 of the Labor Standards Act,
     An employer who violates the provisions of Article 13, Article 17, Article 26, Article 50, Article 51 or paragraph one of
     Article 55 shall be fined a sum not exceeding 30,000 yuan (30,00 yuan = NT$90,000).
it has been my experience that they also open themselves up to criminal prosecution.

.對外籍教師而言，雇主預扣工資作為違約金或賠償費用時，已違反勞基法第二十六條規定，此類個案通常很容易處理。

For teachers who have had their wages taken or deposits charged against them remedies are easily accessible.

.通常，外語補習班或學校雇主違法扣留外師薪資，可於各縣市之勞工局申訴，並請求調解（必須選任調解委員會），若調解成立，其結果具有判決效力。外籍教師申請調解，不須支付任何費用，勞工局提供的支援，也不須付費。屆時，調解成立後如雇主逾約定時間仍未返還所扣留之薪資，外籍教師可要求勞工局移送調解成立結果至法院，由法院查封雇主財產，強制執行返還勞工被扣留薪資，亦可科雇主違法之罰金。

In most cases teachers can go to the Council of Labor Affairs and request a Arbitration hearing. There is no cost to the teacher to request the hearing, and no cost to have it held. The decisions are binding and have the force of law. The hearing can award you your entire damages. If the withheld wages are not paid by the agreed upon date, the Council of Labor Affairs transfers the judgment to the civil court, who will move to seize the bank accounts of the employer or put liens on their property.

.各縣市勞工局接到調解申請，會依循相關程序處理，通常，會在申請提出後一個月內處理。就本人經驗，三週左右是會是調解委員會首次開始的時間，調解雙方不一定需要委託律師，例如，外籍教師可以委請產、官、學界、民代、商界、親友等願意幫忙的社會人士等一名為勞方的調解委員共同出席，如無適合人選，勞工局備有勞工輔佐人可供勞工選任為勞方調解委員。就本人經驗，當勞工局成立調解委員會後，請雙方依時出席，雇主通常不會忽視出席，亦得委託相關人士一名為資方調解委員。

The Council of Labor Affairs is publicly committed to starting the Arbitration process within a month of requests. In my experience 3 weeks is more common. A lawyer is not required. Teachers could choose a businessman, a parent or anyone they like to help them explain their case. It is rare, if not unheard of for an employer to ignore a Council of Labor Affairs summons to an Arbitration hearing.

.在調解處理過程中，勞工局會指定相關人士擔任主席，具有勞資經驗或背景的律師，通常會被委任擔任主席調解。本人曾代表某一方協助調解，也曾被勞工局指任調解委員會的主席。

Once each party has chosen the representative they want with them, a judge for the case is named, often an attorney specializing in labor law. I have not only acted as counsel in such cases, but also am frequently called upon to be a judge.

.基本上，外籍教師在台工作受就業服務法約束管理，雇主扣留外師薪資，乃是違反勞動基準法，此二法並不互相衝突。所以，外籍教師在台的相關工作權利，只要依循就業服務法的相關規定處理，並不會因為外師向勞工局申請調解過程的進行，受到影響。

Holding a visitor's visa, or having an ARC with another school, you would still be allowed to enter an Arbitration hearing with your former school. The laws governing these areas do not interfere with those ensuring the security of one's wages.

.總之，雇主違法扣留薪資經常發生，但若懂得到勞工局申訴，其實事情很容易解決。以本人之經驗，此類案件通常十之八九都是利於勞方。所以，奉勸各位外籍教師如遇有類似上述情形發生，可參考本文之建議方式解決您的問題。

Wage abuse cases in the bushiban industry are common. The Labor Affairs Department takes a particularly dim view of such practices, and Arbitration Hearings are a readily available and cost-free venue for employees seeking justice. In my experience with Arbitration Hearings of this type, 80-90% of the time the employee wins. I hope my explanation of the options available to English teachers has been helpful.