Daejeon City Supports Paid Sick Leave for Self-Employed Up to 11 Days

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Daejeon City supports paid sick leave for local self-employed workers.

On the 20th, the city announced that it will operate the ‘Paid Sick Leave Support System for Self-Employed Workers’ to ensure that self-employed individuals who are hospitalized can receive timely inpatient treatment.

Support is available for up to 11 days per year. The daily support amount is 86,400 KRW (based on the living wage), which means that up to 954,000 KRW can be received in cash when the maximum number of days is applied.

The eligible recipients include self-employed individuals living in Daejeon or operating businesses there, who are regional subscribers to health insurance with an income at or below 150% of the median income, and who are hospitalized for treatment due to illness or injury.

Applications can be submitted within six months from the date of discharge by attaching the application form and admission/discharge confirmation documents, and sending them by mail, email, fax, or by visiting the Daejeon Job and Economy Promotion Agency in person.

Last year, paid sick leave was also supported for those isolated after testing positive for COVID-19, but this year, with the easing of social distancing measures, those receiving home treatment (isolated individuals) are excluded from the program.

For more detailed information about the support, please refer to the announcement posted on the Daejeon Job and Economy Promotion Agency website or contact the Small Business Support Team at City Hall.

Kim Young-bin, Director of the Job and Economy Bureau of Daejeon City, said, “This is the third year of implementing the Daejeon-type paid sick leave support. We will strive to prevent medical poverty among small self-employed workers and ensure their livelihoods through solid operation.”

Meanwhile, the Daejeon-type paid sick leave support was introduced in September 2021, and up to last year, an average of 571,000 KRW was paid to a total of 1,415 self-employed workers.

In particular, last year, the program’s early closure in April showed the high level of interest among eligible recipients.