Session Details

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Factory Name

Hsieh Feng Spring Mfg. corp

Location

Taiwan

Language

English

Gender

Male

Nationality

Filipino

Case Type

Employer Exploitation

Industrial Sector

Electronics

Created

Aug 03, 2025 13:43

Buyer Companies
Amazon

Policy Violations

Amazon
Violation Detected
Complaint Summary

Juan Dela Cruz is experiencing the withholding of his passport by Hsieh Feng Spring Mfg. Corp., which he believes violates his rights due to the lack of a contractual basis and the employer's unjustified demand for justification.

Reported Incidents 4
Passport retained upon hiring and refused to be returned upon request.
Employment contract lacks clauses regarding passport withholding.
Manager requested justification for needing the passport, delaying its return.
Employee questions the necessity of carrying the passport.
Policy Violations 2
Document Confiscation
General Violation

The withholding of the employee's passport constitutes a violation of the Document Confiscation policy, as it prevents the employee from possessing and accessing a personal document. The policy prohibits Suppliers from causing workers to lose possession or access to their personal documents, including travel and identity documents, and specifically prohibits holding, confiscating, or requiring the surrender of such documents to any party.

Policy Reference
Supply Chain Standards

Policy Content:

Personal identification documents: Suppliers must not cause workers to lose possession of or access to their personal documents. Suppliers must not hold (for safekeeping), destroy, conceal, confiscate, or require workers to surrender government issued identification, passports, immigration document…

Field: Reference to Confiscation of travel/ identity document. If yes, mention up to three sentences.

View Document
Recruitment Fees
General Violation

While not directly a recruitment fee, the withholding of the passport, particularly in the context of retaining it upon hiring, raises concerns about potential hidden costs or requirements associated with employment. This potentially conflicts with the prohibition against requiring workers to pay recruitment, hiring, agents’ or brokers’ fees, or other related fees or costs, even if the company claims it is for identity verification. The lack of a clause in the employment contract addressing passport handling further contributes to this concern.

Policy Reference
Supply Chain Standards

Policy Content:

Recruitment and related fees: Workers must not be required to pay recruitment, hiring, agents’ or brokers’ fees, or other related fees or costs for their employment either in their home country, any intermediate country, or the country where work is performed. Suppliers should recruit workers in a …

Field: Does the company prohibit recruitment fees to workers? Paste only relevant sentences.

View Document

Conversation History

User 13:43

english

PoBot 13:43

Thank you! Kindly provide your current location (the country or region where you are currently situated).

User 13:43

ta

PoBot 13:43

I need to know your location to better assist you. Could you please tell me which country you are in? For example: Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, etc.

User 13:43

taiwan

PoBot 13:43

Thank you for providing your location in Taiwan! How can I help you?

User 13:44

i am working as a factory worker and my manager is witholding my passport

PoBot 13:44

Thank you for letting me know. I understand your manager is withholding your passport. Could you please tell me a bit more about the situation? What has happened, and why do you believe your passport is being withheld?

User 13:45

I don't know po when i start to work at the factory they took our passports mentioning just to make sure of our identities and then when i ask them to get it back they refuse and tell me why do you need it

PoBot 13:45

Thank you for sharing that information. It sounds like a very difficult situation. To help me understand the context better, could you please tell me the name of the factory and what type of goods it produces? Also, what is the factory's address? Finally, what is your specific job role at the factory? This will help me get a clearer picture of what’s happening.

User 13:47

the factory name is Hsieh Feng Spring Mfg. corp and they work in the Electronics industry. it's address is No.162, Fanjin Rd., Puyan Township, Changhua County 516, Taiwan, Changhua, Changhua County, and i work as a machine operator

PoBot 13:47

Thank you for providing all that information about Hsieh Feng Spring Mfg. corp – the Electronics industry, the address, and your role as a machine operator. I understand this situation is concerning.

To further understand the situation and potential legal avenues, do you happen to know who are the companies that your factory supplies to? If not, that's perfectly alright, just let me know.

User 13:47

Amazon po

PoBot 13:47

"Thank you for letting me know that your factory supplies Amazon. That's helpful information. Now, could you please provide the name of any recruitment agency or brokers that were involved in your hiring process? This will help me build a complete picture of the situation."

User 13:48

my recruitment agency is City Employment Center Inc. in the philippines it deployed me to work in this factory in taiwan and i only dealed with them no broker

PoBot 13:48

"Thank you for providing that information about City Employment Center Inc. in the Philippines. That's very helpful to know. To proceed, could you please provide a copy or a detailed description of your employment contract with Hsieh Feng Spring Mfg. corp? This will give us further insight into your rights and obligations."

User 13:48

in the contract there is no clause or condition mentioning withholding personal information, i am sure of that

PoBot 13:49

Thank you for confirming that. Could you please provide a copy of the contract or a detailed description of its contents? This will help me thoroughly review it in light of your situation.

User 13:50

this is the contract:\n\nThis Employment Agreement is entered into this 8th day of July 2024, by and between: Employer: Hsieh Feng Spring Mfg. corp Address: No.162, Fanjin Rd., Puyan Township, Changhua County 516, Taiwan, Changhua, Changhua County, (hereinafter referred to as the "Employer") -and- Employee: Juan Dela Cruz Nationality: Filipino Passport No.: P1234567 (hereinafter referred to as the "Employee") Article I: Job Description The Employee agrees to work as a Machine Operator in the production facility of the Employer and shall carry out tasks as assigned, consistent with the scope of factory operations. Article II: Duration of Contract This contract shall be valid for a period of 2 years, commencing on the date of the Employee’s arrival in Taiwan, subject to renewal upon mutual agreement. Article III: Working Hours The Employee shall work 8 hours per day, 6 days per week. Overtime work may be required depending on production needs and shall be compensated in accordance with Taiwanese labor law. Rest days shall be scheduled by the Employer and may vary based on operational demands. Article IV: Salary and Benefits Monthly basic salary: NTD 26,400 Overtime shall be paid in accordance with prevailing labor regulations. Health insurance and labor insurance shall be provided as per Taiwanese labor standards. The Employee shall be entitled to annual leave and holidays in accordance with local laws. Article V: Accommodation The Employer shall provide accommodation to the Employee. The accommodation will be in a shared facility within reasonable distance from the factory. Utility expenses (electricity, water, maintenance) shall be shared among all tenants and deducted from the Employee’s salary as necessary. In cases where accommodations are unavailable or unsuitable, the Employer reserves the right to make alternative arrangements, including temporary lodging or adjusted sleeping quarters, at their discretion. The Employer shall not be held liable for any discomfort arising from cultural, spatial, or hygienic differences perceived by the Employee. Article VI: Code of Conduct The Employee agrees to: Abide by all company rules and safety protocols. Respect local customs and laws. Refrain from engaging in any union-related activities without Employer consent. Article VII: Termination Either party may terminate this agreement with 30 days’ written notice. The Employer may terminate the Employee for misconduct, repeated absences, or violation of company rules without compensation. Article VIII: Dispute Resolution All disputes arising under this contract shall be resolved in accordance with Taiwanese labor arbitration procedures. The Employer reserves the right to assign legal counsel on behalf of the Employee where necessary. Signatures Employer Representative: Name: Lin Wei-Chen Signature: ______________________ Date: July 8, 2024 Employee: Name: Juan Dela Cruz Signature: ______________________ Date: July 8, 2024

PoBot 13:50

"Thank you so much for sharing the details of your employment contract with me. I have reviewed it carefully. It's helpful to have this document. To further assess the situation and explore potential legal options, could you please provide any evidence that supports your claim of exploitation? This could include photos, messages, pay slips, or any other relevant documentation that demonstrates the withholding of your passport or any other unfair treatment."

User 13:50

this is an email from my manager responding to my request for having my passport back:\n\n I saw your message about the passport. Why do you need it? What exactly are you planning to do with it? You don’t need to be carrying it around unless there’s a specific reason. If it’s not urgent, there’s no point in rushing. Let me know what it’s for, and I’ll decide what to do.

PoBot 13:51

Thank you for providing the email from your manager. This response further highlights the issue. To help me understand the situation better, could you please confirm when this email was sent? Also, do you have any other communication (texts, other emails) related to your passport being held? Photos or screenshots of these communications would be very beneficial.

PoBot 13:51

Thank you for sharing your case. We will analyze the policy violations and will follow-up with you very soon!!