Taipei, Jan. 18 (CNA) WeMo Scooter, a Taipei-based electric motorbike sharing service provider, has laid off 23 of its employees so far this year, the Taipei City Government's Department of Labor said Monday.

The department said WeMo has informed it of the layoffs, which were carried out on Jan. 8.

The Taipei labor authorities said WeMo cited "losses or business downsizing" as described in Article 11 of the Labor Standards Act as the reason for the layoffs.

In 2020, the company laid off seven employees, saying their performance failed to meet work requirements.

As of October 2020, WeMo had 282 employees registered in the mandatory labor insurance program, according to the labor department, which gives an idea of the size of its workforce since employees in Taiwan are required to be covered by labor insurance.

The department said it has reminded WeMo to abide by the law to protect the benefits and interest of the affected employees, but indicated that no complaints have been filed to date by any of the people who have been laid off.

In response to the latest layoffs, WeMo said the company has been undergoing a reorganization and adjusting its workforce as it changes its business strategy to gain a broader presence in the market.

Currently, WeMo's operations are concentrated in Taipei.

WeMo is not the only player in the electric scooter sharing market in Taiwan. It competes against GoShare and iRent.