Judicial Yuan Plans National Call Center; Clerks' Union Raises 4 Demands: 'Don't Let It Become a Call Transfer Center'

Taiwan's Judicial Yuan announced plans to establish a national call center, aiming to alleviate the burden on frontline court clerks by having dedicated staff handle public inquiries. However, the Taiwan Clerks' Labor Rights Promotion Association has voiced concerns, emphasizing that the center's effectiveness hinges on its ability to genuinely solve problems rather than merely transferring calls.

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The success hinges on whether it can become a true 'problem-solving center,' not another 'call transfer center.'

The association argues that without careful consideration of authority allocation, data security, and the ability to handle specific requests for contact with assigned clerks, the call center could inadvertently increase workload. Clerks might still need to review case files and return calls during limited free time, potentially consuming more time and focus than directly answering initial inquiries.

To ensure the call center serves its intended purpose, the association has put forth four key demands. These include granting the center a "direct blocking" function, preventing most calls from being directly transferred to clerks. Instead, unresolved queries should be handled by specialized second-line personnel. Urgent matters, such as document delivery, court dates, or safety concerns, could have special procedures for contacting clerks. The association also stressed the need for the call center to integrate fax services to streamline document reception.

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If the authority configuration and information security of the call center are not properly handled, and the public's need to designate a contact person is not met, even if 'message relay' is adopted, clerks will still have to check dispatch orders, review case files, and use the gaps between court sessions or recording statements to return calls, consuming time and focus that may be even higher than directly answering the phone, thus failing to achieve the goal of reducing the workload.

Furthermore, the association called for the call center staff to have appropriate access to query case procedural information after identity verification. While publicly available information could be provided directly, details requiring specific case knowledge should only be accessed after confirming identity. Information related to judicial decisions or legally protected content should not be disclosed. The association also insisted that the call center be staffed by professionals with practical court experience, rather than rotating clerks, to avoid simply shifting personnel. They believe the ultimate measure of success should be a tangible reduction in the actual workload of clerks, not just call center metrics like connection rates or wait times.

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The purpose of establishing a call center is not to add another call transfer procedure, but to effectively intercept calls that would originally go to the handling divisions, allowing clerks to return to their core work of assisting trials.