Justice Party "Ruling Party Excludes Workplaces with Fewer Than 5 Employees from Substitute Holiday Act... Condemns Unilateral Passage"

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Ju-yeon] The Justice Party condemned the substitute holiday law, which excludes workplaces with fewer than five employees and was passed solely by the ruling party, stating, "A true labor-respecting society is one where everyone can work when they work and rest when they rest equally," and urged, "The law must be fully reconsidered so that workplaces with fewer than five employees can also take substitute holidays."

On the 22nd, the Justice Party said in a statement, "Out of 16 million workers, more than half, 8.42 million, will not be able to take substitute holidays," and criticized, "We cannot help but strongly condemn the ruling Democratic Party of Korea for passing the substitute holiday bill unilaterally."

On the same day, the National Assembly's Public Administration and Security Committee held a bill subcommittee meeting in the morning and passed the 'Act on Holidays (Substitute Holiday Act).' After the plenary session in the afternoon, if it is processed at the June National Assembly plenary session, substitute holidays will be applied starting from August 15, Liberation Day, allowing people to rest. However, it was pointed out as a limitation that the law will apply to workplaces with fewer than 30 employees starting next year, and will not apply to workplaces with fewer than five employees.

Lee Dong-young, the Justice Party's chief spokesperson, questioned, "Are there first-class citizens and second-class citizens?" and said, "There should be no discrimination or exclusion where some rest and others work, even on days off."

The chief spokesperson emphasized again, "If the bill conflicts due to paid holidays, the Labor Standards Act can be amended. Instead of legalizing differentiation based on workplace size, the National Assembly must actively amend the Labor Standards Act to prevent discrimination and exclusion in the basic labor rights and rest rights of labor citizens."

He added, "We strongly urge a full reconsideration of the Substitute Holiday Act during the Public Administration and Security Committee's plenary session and the final plenary session of the National Assembly so that workplaces with fewer than five employees can also rest on substitute holidays."