"Got COVID but told to work from home"…Office Workers 'Upset' Amid 6th Wave Surge

Faster-than-Expected COVID-19 Spread
70,497 New Cases on the 18th... 4.11 Times Higher Than Two Weeks Ago
Office Workers Say "No Paid Leave... Must Work from Home Even When Sick"

On the 29th of last month, during the ongoing rainy season, office workers were seen carrying umbrellas on their way to work near City Hall Station in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] As highly transmissible COVID-19 variants continue to emerge, triggering a full-scale resurgence of the virus, office workers' concerns are growing. Even when confirmed positive, companies are not providing paid leave; instead, they are forcing employees to use their personal annual leave or demanding remote work.

Recently, the spread of COVID-19 has been accelerating sharply. According to Seoul Metropolitan Government and other local governments, from midnight to 9 p.m. on the 18th, the number of new confirmed cases nationwide across 17 cities and provinces was recorded at 70,497. Compared to the same time a week ago (11th, 31,805 cases), this is 1.97 times higher, and compared to two weeks ago (4th, 17,146 cases), it is 4.11 times higher.

If the weekly doubling phenomenon (where the number of confirmed cases roughly doubles compared to the previous week) continues, by the 26th, the number could reach 140,000, double the 70,000 cases on the 19th, and by the 2nd of next month, it could approach 280,000, double the 140,000 cases on the 26th. Initially, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) had predicted that daily new cases would peak at around 200,000 between mid-September and mid-October, but at the current rate of increase, the peak is expected to arrive sooner.

The number of severe cases and hospital bed occupancy rates are also on the rise. According to the Central Disease Control Headquarters (CDCH), as of midnight on the 18th, the number of critically ill patients increased by 10 from the previous day (71) to 81. The number of critically ill patients reaching the 80s is the first time in 31 days since the 17th of last month (82 patients).

On the morning of the 18th, as COVID-19 resurges, citizens visiting the temporary screening clinic set up at the Gangnam-gu Public Health Center in Seoul are waiting for their turn to be tested. [Image source=Yonhap News]

As confirmed cases rise again, office workers are voicing complaints that "even if we are sick, we cannot rest." Now in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the perception that it is a disease comparable to seasonal flu has grown, leading to situations where employees must work even while undergoing home treatment.

A 25-year-old office worker, Mr. Han, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, said, "I felt unwell, so I took a self-test kit and it came back positive, so I went to a testing center for confirmation. Of course, I used my annual leave." He added, "After informing my company of the positive result, they said there was no paid leave and told me to work from home."

Mr. Han said, "I had no choice but to work from home while feeling sick. I had a fever, cough, and severe dizziness, so sitting was difficult. My physical strength was low, so concentrating was hard." He continued, "I'm glad they allowed remote work instead of forcing me to use annual leave, but having to work while sick is not efficient."

In fact, although the number of confirmed cases among office workers has increased due to the large-scale COVID-19 outbreak, cases of unfair treatment by companies during workplace COVID-19 responses are also rising. In March, the civic group Workplace Bullying 119 reported receiving 19 reports of unfair treatment from January to March 20 this year. Specific cases included unpaid leave and forced use of annual leave, wage cuts and deprivation of leave rights, and recommendations for resignation or dismissal.

Moreover, the government's reduction of paid leave subsidies for COVID-19 support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is also problematic. The number of paid leave days supported has already been reduced from a maximum of 7 days to 5 days, and the amount from 73,000 KRW to 45,000 KRW. Since the 11th, the support target has also been narrowed. Previously, all SMEs were eligible, but now only companies with fewer than 30 employees qualify, meaning only 75.3% of SME workers can receive support.

Living support funds are also provided only to the lower half of income earners. Only households with income below 100% of the median income are eligible for living support funds. As of 2022, the median income is 1,944,812 KRW for a single-person household and 5,121,080 KRW for a four-person household.

On the 19th, when 73,582 new COVID-19 cases were reported, marking the highest number in 83 days, officials at the Disaster and Safety Situation Room of Songpa District Office in Seoul reviewed the current status of COVID-19 cases. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Park Jeom-gyu, an operating committee member of Workplace Bullying 119, said, "COVID-19 is a national disaster," emphasizing, "When a national disaster occurs, the state must take responsibility and lead the resolution." Park criticized, "For vaccines, the government provided them free of charge, quickly raising vaccination rates. Because the government fully covered the vaccine costs, it helped with disease control. However, all other COVID-19-related responsibilities have been shifted onto individuals. As a result, some people go to work even with COVID-19-like symptoms, which has contributed to the spread of the virus."

He continued, "To prevent the spread, the government should strengthen support, but it is going in the opposite direction. There are leaves needed for vaccination, PCR testing, and isolation, but only isolation leave was supported, and recently even that has been cut. All costs are being left to individuals," he pointed out. Park suggested, "Instead of reducing COVID-19-related support and benefits, we should increase compensation, following the example of Europe."