Asia Economy·Seoul City Joint Project [Work-Life Balance 2.0 Era]
Disadvantages of Refusing Parental Leave and Work-Life Balance System
Seoul Southwest Workplace Mom Support Center Reports 54% Increase in Male Grievance Consultations Over 2 Years
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-joo] #Mr. A, a man in his late 40s working in a bus company with morning and afternoon shifts, was concerned that his elementary school-aged child was home alone all afternoon after school. While looking for a solution, he learned about the reduced working hours system for childcare. Mr. A requested to work reduced hours in the afternoon, but the company informed him that only morning reduced hours were possible, and he had to work in the afternoon. Struggling alone as negotiations with the company did not go well, Mr. A consulted about the related system through the Seoul Southwest Workplace Mom Support Center. After communication between the center and the company, Mr. A was finally able to use the reduced working hours system for childcare during his desired time slot.
As concerns about childcare deepen among "working dads," the number of men seeking consultations related to work-life balance systems is gradually increasing. According to the Seoul Southwest Workplace Mom Support Center, consultations for men’s difficulties rose by 54%, from 395 cases in 2017 to 608 cases in 2019. Men typically inquire about systems such as childcare leave pay, special provisions for Father’s Month, spouse maternity leave, or face challenges in exercising their rights, such as disadvantages after returning from childcare leave or refusal of childcare leave. If men cannot use work-life balance systems, the childcare burden ultimately increases for their female spouses, which can lead to career interruptions.
Although male childcare leave users are increasing, most are concentrated in large corporations and public institutions. According to the results of the "Analysis of Workplace Moms’ Workplace Grievance Consultations and Research on Development Plans for Workplace Mom Support Centers" published by the Southwest Workplace Mom Support Center, the smaller the workplace, the higher the rate of grievance consultations. From 2016 to last year, the total number of grievance consultations for workplaces with 5 to 30 employees was 5,690, about 3.3 times higher than the 1,722 cases for workplaces with 100 to 300 employees.
Gender wage gaps are also cited as one of the factors making it difficult for men to take childcare leave. Kim Moon-jung, director of the Southwest Workplace Mom Support Center, said, "Because men bear a greater economic burden within the household, they find it difficult to use these systems easily," adding, "It is urgent for women’s wages to rise to the level of men’s."
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