Is it legal to voice record a meeting without consent?

Perhaps something is missing in this discussion.

The question is: "What do you plan to do with the record of that conversation after you have recorded it?? "

Is the intent to get it transcribed, and certified as being an accurate transcription, to be used in some sort of legal action?? or in some negotiation concerning your “rights”???

In my experience in dealing with the administrative agencies and courts here, it is highly unusual for someone to present such “evidence” to make a point … or to “succeed” in accomplishing anything by presenting such a transcription …

In other words, the following might be a sample conversation with the Taiwan Immigration Authorities –

You: (holding up your transcription documents) … “Oh, here is proof that my boss lied to me about the legality of sending me to work in the kindergarten, and he also told me that he would be under-reporting my income, failing to take out proper withholding taxes, etc. and would not sign me up for national health insurance until eight months after I really began work. He also forged a new expiry date on my ARC.”

Immigration Official: These are serious violations of the law.

You: Right, you should certainly punish my employer.

Immigration Official: Well, the best course of action would be for us to deport you first and deal with him later. You have committed all of these crimes, and that is very serious.

You: But my employer is the one to blame.

Immigration Official: You will need to go to the Tax Office and pay the taxes and fines on your under-reported income.

You: Shouldn’t my employer pay those? Or at least help me fill out the paperwork?

Immigration Official: Well, you are the one who has failed to pay the proper taxes. … Also, we talked to your employer and he said that several days after you had that “discussion” (which you recorded and had transcribed) … he had another meeting with you and explained that what he told you previously was not 100% correct, but you insisted on going ahead with the “illegal arrangements” …

You: I don’t remember any such conversation.

Immigration Official: You have been working so many long hours that your memory has become blurred. Maybe we should escort you to the detention center until your memory clears up.

You: Are you charging me with some crimes? What are the charges against me?

Immigration Official: Your employer also told us that you touched the breasts of several female employees in the office, and he was going to fire you outright, but then you came up with all of these other allegations, and tried to put the blame on him.

You: That is ridiculous. I never did such things.

Immigration Official: They employer’s wife is willing to testify that you tried to take advantage of her one evening when the two of you were eating dinner boxes in the office all alone. So … all in all … It might be in your best interests to settle all of these matters as quickly as possible, otherwise she may report you to several of the local women’s foundations. They might make a big scandal.

You: I never had dinner with the employer’s wife.

Immigration Official: She said you tried to push her into the bathroom and take off her dress. Then you forced her hand down your pants.

You: Does the employer have any proof of these allegations?

Immigration Official: We have no reason to doubt what he and his wife say. After all it is commonly known that foreign males are very “active” … sexually, … so such allegations are hardly surprising.

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