Family Care Leave Extended from 10 to Up to 25 Days Passed in National Assembly Plenary Session

Single-Parent Workers Allowed Up to 15 Additional Days of Leave

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Cheol-eung] The family care leave period will be extended from 10 days to 20 days. Single-parent workers can use an additional maximum of 15 days. Reflecting the difficulties caused by the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the ruling and opposition parties have agreed to expedite the promotion of this measure.

On the morning of the 7th, the National Assembly held a plenary session and passed the amendment to the "Act on Gender Equality in Employment and Work-Family Balance Support" containing these provisions. Of the 269 members present, 267 voted in favor and 2 abstained. On the same day, the Environment and Labor Committee and the Legislation and Judiciary Committee held full meetings earlier and promptly submitted the bill to the plenary session.

The extended family care leave can be used when, during a serious infectious disease crisis alert stage, a family member is classified as an infectious disease patient or a suspected infectious disease patient and requires care. It also applies when a child’s school or institution receives an order or disposition for closure, suspension, or leave, requiring care, or when a child is subject to self-quarantine due to an infectious disease or is prohibited from attending school or daycare, necessitating care.

Employers who dismiss workers or impose unfavorable treatment such as worsening working conditions due to the use of extended family care leave will face imprisonment of up to three years or a fine of up to 30 million won. It is also stipulated that a fine will be imposed if the employer does not allow the extended care leave, ensuring the employer’s compliance with the obligation.

Family care leave, first implemented in January, is an unpaid leave that can be used up to 10 days annually. In the Democratic Party, Representative Park Gwang-on proposed an amendment to increase it to 30 days and change it from unpaid to paid leave. The People Power Party introduced a package bill including the extension and paid leave of family care leave as their first party bill in the 21st National Assembly. On this day, the National Assembly discussed several bills and reached a compromise.

Joo Ho-young, floor leader of the People Power Party, said, "This law aims to alleviate the difficulties of dual-income families even a little. It is very unusual for the opposition’s first bill to be passed amid the ruling party’s legislative rush. This proves that the bill promoted by the People Power Party is tailored."

Song Joo-ah, a specialist at the National Assembly’s Environment and Labor Committee, stated in the review report, "In cases of disasters such as infectious diseases leading to school or daycare closures, or when elderly and disabled welfare facilities close or suspend services, it can disrupt not only child care but also welfare services for vulnerable groups," adding, "The purpose of the amendment to minimize care gaps and strengthen support for work-family balance is reasonable."

However, she also pointed out that "it may cause difficulties in manpower management for employers, employers cannot refuse workers’ family care leave requests, and fines will be imposed if employers do not approve such requests."