A Caregiver Wearing Loose Clothes... Gave Birth on the Bed of the Grandmother She Was Caring For

Indonesian Caregiver Cares for Grandmother in Taiwan
Gives Birth to Baby on Bed While Grandmother Turns Away
Taiwan Society Shocked... Suspected Access for Health Insurance Benefits

A shocking incident occurred in Taiwan where a caregiver gave birth alone on the bed of an elderly person she was assisting. On the 14th, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported, "An Indonesian caregiver hid her pregnancy and gave birth on the bed of her employer, an elderly woman, causing great shock to the grandmother and her family."

An Indonesian caregiver giving birth on her grandmother's bed. [Image source: Screenshot from a Taiwanese family's Facebook]

A family living in Hsinchu City, Taiwan, hired an Indonesian female caregiver about five months ago to take care of an elderly woman with limited mobility. The woman worked without any issues for five months, but on the 11th of last month, the family noticed a strange scene captured on a CCTV camera installed to monitor the grandmother's condition.

While the grandmother was sitting in a wheelchair with her back to the bed, the caregiver was giving birth naturally on the bed, covered with a blanket. The grandmother was unaware of this and was startled when she heard a baby crying and turned around. It was later revealed that the caregiver had been pregnant but had not disclosed it while working.

Before entering Taiwan, the woman was required to undergo a physical examination in her home country, but it was reported that she passed the labor migration test using a health check certificate belonging to a friend, not herself. In Taiwan, there is no law requiring migrant workers to undergo pregnancy tests before employment, so the pregnancy could not be detected. Even if the woman became pregnant after being employed, there is no way to find out unless she voluntarily discloses it.

The grandmother's family claimed that the caregiver deliberately wore loose clothing to hide her swollen belly, so they did not notice. This is because foreign workers in Taiwan and babies born in Taiwan can receive health insurance benefits.

Additionally, the family’s sensitive reaction stems not only from the mental shock of the woman giving birth on the grandmother’s bed but also from the sudden responsibility of having to care for the woman and her baby. According to local regulations in Taiwan, employers who dismiss pregnant or postpartum workers can face fines of up to 1.5 million New Taiwan dollars (approximately 63 million KRW) and may lose the qualification to hire new workers for two years.

However, the International Family Employers Association of Taiwan, which arranged the caregiver, confirmed that the baby’s father is still in Indonesia and stated their intention to send the baby back to the father. Netizens who learned of the story responded with comments such as, "I understand why they cannot fire her, but it is very unfair to the employer," "The regulation needs to be changed," and "Some migrant workers are abusing Taiwan’s social benefits."