Anonymous Reporting Possible for Workplaces Refusing 'Family Care Leave'... 5 Million Won Fine

Ministry of Employment to Operate Anonymous Reporting System Until the 31st
Reports Allowed Even If Disadvantaged After Using Family Care Leave

Minister Lee Jae-gap of the Ministry of Employment and Labor is delivering a greeting at the "Meeting between the Minister of Employment and Labor and Small Business Owners for COVID-19 Response" held on the 5th at the Korea Federation of SMEs in Yeouido, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] From now on, workers who are refused the use of 'family care leave' at their workplace can anonymously report it to the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Workplaces receiving such reports will be directly guided by labor inspectors, and if not corrected, a fine of up to 5 million KRW will be imposed.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor will operate an 'anonymous reporting system for family care leave' for one month until the 31st to ensure smooth home care for children due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Starting this year, workers can use up to 10 days of family care leave annually for reasons such as family illness, accidents, old age, or child-rearing. In particular, due to the nationwide postponement of opening of childcare facilities, kindergartens, and schools amid the COVID-19 spread, the demand for family care leave to ensure safe home care for children has surged.

However, issues have been raised that family care leave is not being smoothly used in small and medium-sized enterprises due to burdens in workforce management, prompting the establishment of this measure.

To ensure that workers who are refused family care leave at their workplace can receive timely relief, the anonymous reporting system will be temporarily operated for one month from tomorrow (the 9th) until the 31st.

Reports can be made not only when employers refuse family care leave despite urgent child care needs due to COVID-19 but also when workers cannot take leave due to workplace pressure or suffer disadvantages from using family care leave.

Unfair issues related to maternity protection systems such as parental leave, reduced working hours during childcare, and reduced working hours during pregnancy can also be reported.

For workplaces where anonymous reports are received, labor inspectors will directly guide the workplace via phone or other means. Priority will be given to voluntary improvement and guidance. If not corrected, with the reporter's consent, the case will be formally processed and a fine of up to 5 million KRW will be imposed.

Reporter information and report details will be strictly kept confidential during workplace guidance as specified in the 'Anonymous Reporting System Handling Guidelines.' Special care will be taken during workplace guidance to avoid mentioning specific report details that could identify the reporter.

Anonymous reports on family care leave can be accessed through a separate banner on the Ministry of Employment and Labor website.

The Ministry plans to select workplaces with a high likelihood of violating related laws and focus on checking employers' refusals of family care leave during regular labor inspections.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Expansion of support for care costs for children with disabilities from under 8 years old to under 18 years old
Preference given to excellent companies actively utilizing family care leave during selection

For cases of caring for children with disabilities, the eligible age for 'emergency support for family care costs' will be expanded from under 8 years old to under 18 years old.

Since children with developmental or severe disabilities require care and support regardless of age, support for care costs will be expanded as much as possible up to the age of 18, which is the eligible age for family care leave use.

In addition to cases where special schools attended by children have postponed opening or closed temporarily, this will be expanded to include closures of welfare facilities for the disabled under the 'Welfare of Disabled Persons Act.'

Companies that actively utilize family care leave to prevent the spread of COVID-19 will be given preferential treatment when selected as 'Excellent Work Innovation Companies' and 'Excellent Gender Equality Employment Companies.'

Among small and medium-sized enterprises, when selecting excellent companies that have actively implemented work innovation (a total of 100 companies this year), a new scoring category for family care leave utilization will be added and applied starting from the July selection.

Companies selected as excellent work innovation companies will receive benefits such as exemption from regular labor inspections for three years, additional points (1 point) when recommended as military service designated companies, and preferential treatment when participating in various government support projects.

Also, when selecting excellent gender equality employment companies, the company's family care leave system and its utilization will be considered. Selected companies can receive benefits such as exemption from labor relations law preventive inspections and additional points (2 points) during Public Procurement Service evaluations.

For detailed information on family care leave, telecommuting, and work-family balance systems, please visit the Ministry of Employment and Labor website, Facebook, Appanet, or contact the Ministry of Employment and Labor Counseling Center (☎1350).

Im Seo-jeong, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, stated, "As everyone is facing difficulties due to the spread of COVID-19, cooperation and consideration between employers and workers are more necessary than ever," and added, "We will actively support more workers to reduce economic burdens and resolve care gaps through family care leave and emergency support for family care costs."