Virtual Taiwan www.virtualtaiwan.com has English translations of the legal codes.
Article 35 states: “A worker shall be permitted to have time off for at least 30 minutes after having worked for four hours on end, provided, however, that such time off may be rescheduled by his employer to be given in other work hours if a shift system is in operation or work of continuous or urgent 3 nature is engaged.”
If only there were also a translation of that into whether it gives employers so much weasling room that it’s essentially useless for employees.
While I’m at it, I’ll add some other information that few foreigners seem to know: rules for leave-taking.
Article 2:
On their wedding day, a worker shall be entitled to 8 days of wedding leave with pay.
Article 3:
Funeral leave of a worker shall be given according to the following provisions:
On the death of parent, foster-parent, step-parent, spouse. a worker shall be entitled to 8 days of funeral leave with pay;
On the death of grand-parent, grand-parent-in-law, son or daughter. grand-parent of spouse, parent of spouse, foster-parent or step-parent of spouse. a worker shall be entitled to 6 days of funeral leave with pay;
On the death of brother or sister, a worker shall be entitled to 3 days of funeral leave with pay.
Article 4
When a worker must receive medical service or rest on account or ordinary injury. sickness, or for physical reasons, he shall be entitled to ordinary sickness leave according to the following provisions:
For the non-hospitalized, a total of less than 30 days in one year;
For the hospitalized, not exceeding 1 year;
The total of hospitalized and non-hospitalized sick leave shall not exceed 1 year.
For ordinary sick leave not exceeding 30 days in one year, a worker shall be entitled to half pay.
I, too, was once stuck in a job from hell when it came to work hours (and a lot of other things, as well). I hope you can nail 'em.
Good luck.