Friend's really bad experience with a government agency

Work Working in Taiwan
1

A friend of mine is a highly qualified research engineer with years of R&D experience in fields relevant to the government agency.

After being introduced by the Director of Science & Technology of a foreign TECO office, he was invited in Oct 2022 by the Director-General of the government agency to come to Taiwan to help them, with employment or engagement as a start-up with work contracts with the agency, by Jan/Feb 2023.

It is now August 2023, and he is neither employed, nor paid by the agency for the “pre-employment” work he did for the agency in good faith, or with broken promises of payment.

Before my friend arrived in Taiwan, the salary offered to him by the Director General was NT$200,000 + possibly 10% more. So he left his previous job and came to Taiwan in good faith, believing that the word of the head of a Taiwanese government agency would be trustworthy. My friend has neither family here nor does he speak Chinese.

Before coming, he voiced his concerns about the lack of an employment contract, or engagement contract to the Director General, who replied saying that his case needs to be considered by the BoD, and that the Director “need(s) to figure out where to put you in the 1st half year.”

So my friend came to Taiwan on Dec 31, 2022, expecting that if he would either be employed by the government agency by Jan/Feb, and the government agency would figure out where to put him in the beginning of the year.

After he arrived in Taiwan, the Director said the government agency could only pay him NT$150,000. He was asked by them to do “preliminary work”, initially on good faith but when my friend started asking for payment, he got assurances of payment from the Director General.

After delivering the work and invoicing the government agency, he was not paid by them despite multiple reminders; the invoice due date was in June.

Furthermore, referring to the free (in good faith) and unpaid (via broken promises) work he had done for the agency up to now, an employee described his work as: “Never see your any contribution s.” (sic)

Furthermore, my friend was asked by the agency to help them source and get quotes for specialized equipment. When my friend was asked by the supplier, who the end user of the equipment would be, the Director said: “Better not. Just mention (someone else).”

Effectively, my friend was asked by the head of a Taiwanese government agency to mislead a supplier.

This case has now been submitted to the Control Yuan for investigation, with further action anticipated. My friend has been living off his savings since coming to Taiwan, and I understand little remains of his finances.

As time went on, my friend notified the Director General that his financial situation was worsening, including my friend’s father having cancer, but he still did not employ my friend nor pay him for the work he asked my friend to do. So this is not a matter of accident or ignorance.

Any advice or assistance you have for my friend would be gratefully passed on.

Some written evidence is attached below. Much more evidence exists (written and other forms) which will be released in due course if necessary.

While a neighboring country’s space and missile programs advance at full speed, a foreign expert is invited to Taiwan and treated this way.

correspondence2
correspondence2850Ă—2770 429 KB

2

Hasn’t your friend posted this here before?

9 Likes
3

Does seem so

4

Was definitely on here before.

1 Like
5

Why does he still insist on working for them? Why is that last email so polite? Very weird behavior by everyone involved.

4 Likes
6

If legal action is being pursued, is it wise to post traceable email messages on a public forum? That might not only affect the outcome of the friend’s investigation, but might even invite countersuits.

4 Likes
7

I remember your friend’s post here. I’m glad he is doing something about it, but maybe don’t talk about it here if legal action is being pursued.

2 Likes
8

What legal contracts were signed? Was there an employment contract or any contract saying your friend would get paid? If not, your friend took a big risk to quit his job and come to Taiwan based on the possible offer of employment.

Also I’m not sure how libel laws work in Taiwan. I would be careful about that as a foreigner in a foreign country where they don’t speak the local language. Your friend may get sued and may need to hire expensive lawyers if they can’t speak the local language.

9

1 - I’m sure what you posted isn’t comprehensive, but if that’s the “evidence,” I see nothing resembling promises that he would have a job on any particular timeframe, so it feels like he jumped the gun. It doesn’t even seem to promise the job at all - an expression of interest, and a note that they would need to work something out with the bod.
2 - There’s also no evidence that they asked him to do anything.
3- I’m not sure what that message from Spanton has to do with any of it.
4- Your friend is a highly qualified researcher with years of experience in aerospace r&d and is having financial difficulties after 4 months in Taiwan?

3 Likes
10

It sounds like the friend is still making an attempt to get a binding contract for the job. If this is the goal, then posting names and email contents here may run counter to that goal. Posting their names here is kind of like burning bridges with them; if they were to read this thread, it is likely that the relationship would deteriorate further.

If the friend wants to continue reconciliation, then it may be best to delete this thread.

3 Likes
11

Friend needs to leave Taiwan and not return until there’s a contract in hand, (with translation and consultation w/a good Taiwanese attorney before signing). :roll_eyes:

3 Likes
12

He does not, and that wasn’t the last email. I understand the relationship formally broke down after he was insulted by Spanton, at which point he asked Director Wu to put Spanton in line, and pay up, both of which Director Wu didn’t do.

Everything I have posted on my friend’s behalf, are facts.

I feel it is necessary to post them publicly for his protection. It is a government agency he is pointing fingers at. So if you read the news “Foreign scientist has a tragic accident.” or “Foreign scientist commits suicide.” then consider that there is more to the story.

The legal standing will be fought out in court, if mediation fails. For now, the legal case and further supporting evidence shall not be posted here here, because it telegraphs what evidence and arguments may be presented in court.

One does not start a war by firing all their ammunition, in fact it is advisable to hold back one’s best and give the other side an opportunity to work to find a mutually acceptable solution. If they escalate, then even more evidence will come out. When it reaches court, all the evidence will come out.

Do you think he was here in Taiwan for almost 9 months, since he came, not doing anything?

Do you think he would base one of the key points of his case against TASA, of doing work and not being paid, if he in fact did not do the work?

I have presented the facts, and declare that what I have posted on my friend’s behalf is true.

It has, because up until the insult of Spanton my friend was willing to believe in the word of the head of a Taiwanese government agency. The insult really broke the good faith and soured the relationship.

8 months coming to 9 now. And when he came, he budgeted as though he would be getting “employed by Jan/Feb 2023”, which means signing a year long rental contract in Tainan (again at Director Wu’s advice) for NT$30k/month.

May I ask how you feel qualified to comment on my friend’s finances? Have you seen his bank statements, or do you know about his expenses? Do you think any good son will stand by while their father has cancer and not help contribute to expenses?

As for his qualifications and experience, there is no need to prove it here, other than to say you are entitled to your skepticism. If it comes to it, the only people whose credentials he needs to prove to, would be the court, and he has this base covered already, thank you.

The time for this has probably long passed.

Would you like to work in a place where a co-worker may insult you, the head does not keep his word and misleads suppliers on potentially buying export-controlled items, and when there is a screw-up, no one takes responsibility to fix the problem?

A contract? The Director was willing to mislead a supplier in writing, and has already broken his word multiple times.

Also, is it appropriate that the word of the head of a Taiwanese government agency cannot be trusted? Either to an employee, or to a potential supplier of export-controlled items?

Finally, if you were another foreign expert with a job offer from TASA, you might want to consider what is posted here, before handing in your resignation at your present job and getting on a plane to come to Taiwan.

13

This is Taiwan, not Russia.

4 Likes
14

This is good career advice regardless.

Seriously, a thousand things can happen if there’s no real binding/legal commitment. Budgets change, personnel change, politicians get voted in and out and have different agendas and goals, other experts may have shown up and been preferred, etc, etc.

Honestly a lot of this sounds like people hearing what they want to hear, (likely on both sides), and then a bunch of attempted face-saving without commitment, which is par for the course.

I mean, I’m not saying they deserved what they got, but it also sounds like virtually all the steps one would take to try and avoid this scenario were skipped, so… :man_shrugging:

5 Likes
15

yes, i wouldnt move countries without a proper job offer and contract.

5 Likes
16

This would just be part of the due diligence, I think a competent researcher would understand this more than most.

2 Likes
17

Perhaps this can be viewed as an important learning opportunity?

Besides, I heard India may be hiring. :grin:

Guy

2 Likes
18

There is no war here, and you’re not trying to give the other side an opportunity here, so what’s the point of posting allegations and non proof if you have proof? Furthermore, if you have actual proof, showing it first doesn’t detract from it, does it?

But you might want to overwhelm to show your superior position and establish a line. see gulf war 1.

I hope so. as none has. :wink:

Don’t know, don’t care - I’m just letting you know that what you’re showing doesn’t show what it seems you think it does.

Cool. I’m just saying the screen grabs you posted doesn’t support it.

The email in April said his living situation was increasingly difficult. (it’s also kind of a weird email saying his finances are getting difficult and he’d like to start soon, but not for another month until his class finishes).

Got that. Based on what you posted, that’s his fault. Might not be, but based on what you posted…

It’s just whack if he’s so well respected with years of experience - it’s a lucrative field.

And a word of warning - it’s also a small, inbred field. Everybody knows everybody. If it’s a field he wants to work in, he shouldn’t burn any bridges. And if I were him, I wouldn’t want to be posting this online, nor having a friend do it. Doesn’t smack of professionalism (nor do the emails). Don’t get a bad rep.

He didn’t have many people on his side when he posted a thread about that. Seemed like most thought he was the end user and shoulda signed.

You shouldn’t hand your resignation in for a job offer (never mind an expression of interest with no specific job offer) down the street that’s not firm and in writing.

6 Likes
19

How did he get a visa without a job offer? Did he arrive on a tourist stamp?

1 Like
20

Does he? IIRC he’s a fresh PhD grad.