Dongdaemun-gu Supports Employment Retention for Unpaid Leave Workers Affected by COVID-19

Support for unpaid leave workers in small businesses with fewer than 5 employees... Up to 2 tourism industry workers and 1 worker from other sectors per business supported... Up to 500,000 KRW per person per month for 2 months... Applications accepted monthly from the 1st to 10th at district job centers.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Yu Deok-yeol) will operate the ‘Employment Retention Support Fund’ system starting this month to assist small business owners suffering severe financial difficulties due to COVID-19.

The district plans to invest a total project cost of 926 million KRW to focus support on tourism businesses, wholesale and retail, lodging, restaurants, and technology startup companies.

The support targets workers of small business establishments within the district with fewer than five employees who have taken unpaid leave for more than five days since February 23, when the COVID-19 crisis alert was raised to ‘Severe’ (insured under employment insurance of the affiliated business). However, sole proprietors, spouses of business owners, and relatives within the fourth degree of kinship are excluded from support.

The number of supported personnel is two per tourism business, which is experiencing the greatest difficulties due to COVID-19, and one per other business, with a maximum of 500,000 KRW per person per month paid for two months.

The district plans to accept applications for the ‘Employment Retention Support Fund’ from the 1st to the 10th of each month until the project funds are fully exhausted. Eligible applicants are workers who took unpaid leave in the previous month.

Accordingly, the application period this month is from the 1st to the 10th, and only workers who took unpaid leave between February 23 and March 31 can apply for the ‘Employment Retention Support Fund.’

Businesses wishing to apply for the ‘Employment Retention Support Fund’ must prepare the necessary documents including △ Employment Retention Support Fund application form △ Business registration certificate △ Small business confirmation certificate △ Employment insurance subscription certificate (for business owners), and submit them by visiting the Job Center on the 1st floor of Dongdaemun-gu Office in person, or via email (ddmgoodjob@ddm.go.kr), registered mail (Dongdaemun-gu Cheonho-daero 145, Dongdaemun-gu Office Job Center), or fax (3299-2669).

The district will review applicants, select support recipients, and disburse the support funds to recipients’ accounts around the 22nd of each month.

For more details, refer to the Dongdaemun-gu Office website (www.ddm.go.kr) under district news or contact the Job Policy Division (2127-4920~1, 4923).

Yu Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “We expect many workers of small business establishments in our area to benefit from the ‘Employment Retention Support Fund.’ We will do our best to stabilize residents’ lives through various support measures until the COVID-19 spread situation is under control.”