Taipei: Taiwan’s Ministry of Labor has issued new guidelines requiring airlines to offer trousers as a uniform option for female flight attendants, reinforcing efforts to eliminate gender discrimination in workplace dress codes. This initiative aims to promote gender equality by allowing female cabin crew the choice between skirts and trousers, addressing long-standing concerns about discriminatory dress codes.

According to Focus Taiwan, the move follows a 2023 report from Taiwan’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which identified that mandating skirts, heels, and makeup for female cabin crew breached the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. The commission recommended gender-neutral uniform policies and urged airlines to offer trousers as a standard option for female attendants.

In response, the Ministry of Labor’s guidelines advise airlines to engage in discussions with unions or labor-management when creating or revising uniform policies. Huang Wei-chen, director of the MOL’s Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment, stated that airlines are now required to provide comfortable, practical, and suitable uniform options for all working hours. Additionally, imposing makeup or high heels requirements on one gender is prohibited, and airlines cannot ask job applicants to select their uniforms during the hiring process.

Airlines enforcing discriminatory dress codes could face penalties under Taiwan’s Gender Equality in Employment Act. Following the NHRC report and public pressure, major airlines like China Airlines (CAL), EVA Airways (EVA), and Starlux Airlines have started offering trousers as an optional uniform for female flight attendants. CAL announced that female staff could choose between skirts and trousers based on personal preference or work needs, while Starlux Airlines added trousers to their uniform options in 2023. EVA and its subsidiary UNI Air have also made trousers available, aligning with global industry trends.

Prior to these reforms, Tigerair Taiwan was the only airline in Taiwan to provide trousers as a standard uniform choice for female flight attendants.