Quick Service and Substitute Drivers Including Delivery Workers to Join Employment Insurance Starting Next Year

Deputy Minister of Employment Visits Delivery Rider Shelter on the Afternoon of the 29th to Provide Employment Insurance Information

On the afternoon of the 29th, three days before the implementation of employment insurance for platform workers, Park Hwa-jin, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, visited a delivery rider rest area to personally inform the riders about the employment insurance coverage and distribute items such as hand warmers. (Photo by Ministry of Employment and Labor)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Starting next year, delivery drivers and designated driver service drivers who provide services to customers through intermediary platforms such as smartphone applications will also be able to enroll in employment insurance.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor on the 29th, from January 1st next year, employment insurance will be applied to quick service and designated driver service drivers who sign a labor provision contract with platform companies for one month or longer and earn a monthly wage of 800,000 KRW or more. If the labor provision contract is less than one month, employment insurance will apply to all labor provision cases regardless of the monthly wage. Employment insurance premiums are calculated by multiplying the wage by the unemployment benefit insurance rate of 1.4%, with platform workers and employers each bearing half of the cost.

Platform workers who become unemployed and have paid insurance premiums for 12 months or more out of the 24 months prior to their job separation date, and who actively seek reemployment, can receive job-seeking benefits (unemployment benefits) for 120 to 270 days. Those who have paid insurance premiums for at least three months before childbirth and do not work around the childbirth date can receive 'pre- and post-childbirth benefits' for 90 days.

On the same day in the afternoon, Park Hwajin, Vice Minister of Employment, visited a delivery rider rest area in Euljiro, Seoul, to inform them about the application of employment insurance and handed out cold packs and other winter supplies.

According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, since July, about 560,000 workers in 12 special employment types (special types of employment, or "teukgo") other than designated driver and quick service drivers?such as insurance planners, home tutoring instructors, and door-to-door salespeople?have enrolled in employment insurance.