The Tripartite Commission Requests 'Time Off System' Review by the Labor-Management Committee for the First Time in 8 Years

Labor demands expansion of union rights... Employers reluctant over cost burden, tension high

Moon Sung-hyun, Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Economic, Social and Labor Affairs. (Photo by Yonhap News)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The Economic, Social and Labor Council, a presidential advisory body for tripartite social dialogue, announced on the 30th that it has requested the Working Hours Exemption Committee to review the limits of the working hours exemption system (Time Off System). This is the first review related to the adjustment of the Time Off System in eight years since 2013. The committee must decide on the limits by February 3 next year.

The Time Off System is a system that recognizes the work of full-time union officials who devote themselves to union activities as working hours while receiving pay. Currently, the limits of the Time Off System are regulated according to the size of union membership under the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act. Unions in companies with 99 or fewer members are allowed up to 2,000 hours, those with 100 to 199 members up to 3,000 hours, and companies with 500 to 999 members up to 6,000 hours. The Economic, Social and Labor Council has not yet taken a clear stance on whether to increase the Time Off System as demanded by labor or reduce it as requested by management.

Regarding the Time Off System, the Working Hours Exemption Committee has held nine plenary meetings from July 6 to this day. Since Chairman Moon Seonghyun of the Economic, Social and Labor Council requested the review of the Time Off System limits, the committee must deliberate on the appropriateness of the current exemption limits and decide by February 3 next year. According to Article 11 of the Enforcement Decree of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act, the decision must be made within 60 days from the request date, which is January 29 next year, but due to the overlap with Saturday and the Lunar New Year holidays, it was decided to extend the deadline to February 3.

Chairman Moon said, "The field survey to be used as basic data for the review is expected to be completed soon," and added, "Since we have also discussed the issues between labor and management, I expect the review to be further promoted with this request from the Economic, Social and Labor Council." Cho Seonghye, Chairperson of the Working Hours Exemption Committee, said, "We feel a heavy responsibility in accepting the review request from the Economic, Social and Labor Council," and added, "We will do our best to reasonably and fairly decide the limits of the Time Off System by comprehensively considering the discussions so far and the results of the field survey."