Table 1.

Comparison of major changes in recognition criteria for overwork-related cardiovascular and cerebrovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) in Taiwan.

Item	Amendment of 2004	Amendment of 2010
Date of Amendment	31 December 2004	17 December 2010
Name of CVDs attributable to overwork*	Cardiovascular diseases	Cardiovascular diseases
	1. Sudden cardiac death	1. Myocardial infarction
	2. Acute myocardial infarction	2. Acute heart failure
	3. Acute heart failure	3. Dissecting aneurysm of the aorta
	4. Dissecting aneurysm of the aorta	4. Angina pectoris
		5. Cardiac arrest
		6. Sudden cardiac death
		7. Serious cardiac arrhythmia
	Cerebrovascular diseases	Cerebrovascular diseases
	1. Cerebral hemorrhage	1. Cerebral hemorrhage
	2. Cerebral thrombosis	2. Cerebral infarction
	3. Cerebral embolism	3. Subarachnoid hemorrhage
	4. Subarachnoid hemorrhage	4. Brain damage caused by severe hypertension
	5. Cerebral infarction
	6. Brain damage caused by severe hypertension
		Diseases not mentioned above in which work-related factors contributed to 50% or more of the development of the disease will also considered to be work-related.
Overwork criteria: Working hours	Maximum working hours: 84 hours every two weeks**.	Maximum working hours: 84 hours every two weeks.**
	Overtime:	Overtime:
	1. Overtime working hours reached 100 hours or more during the 1 month prior to the event.	1. Overtime working hours reached 92 hours or more during the 1 month prior to the event.
	2. Overtime working hours reached an average of 80 hours or more per month during the 2nd to 6th months prior to the event.	2. Overtime working hours reached an average of 72 hours or more per month during the 2nd to 6th months prior to the event.
	3. Overtime working hours reached an average of 45 hours or more per month during past 6th months prior to the event.	3. Overtime working hours reached an average of 37 hours or more per month during past 6th months prior to the event.
Overwork criteria: Psychological factors	No assessment tool	Provided an assessment tool and categorized the risk into following three types:
		1. An unusual event: an event that triggers extreme psychological tensions, excitement, fear, stress, the taking on of an extreme physical workload, or a dramatic change in work environment.
		2. Short-term overwork: extreme overtime work prior to CVD onset, or situations that cause mental or psychological overload based on assessment tool.
		3. Long -term overwork: overtime work prior to the CVD onset (see overtime criteria), or situations that cause mental or psychological overload based on assessment tool.
Area of onset	Not defined	Not limited to the workplace
Burden of proof	Not defined	Employer

^*A disease in which more than 50% of the risk of development of the disease is attributable to non-work-related factors will not be considered a work-related disease.

**On January 1, 2016, the Labor Standards Act was amended to cut the former maximum work limit of 84 hours every two weeks to 40 hours per week.