Starting Next Month, Civil Servants' Childcare Time Program Expanded to Include Children Up to 2nd Grade in Elementary School

Expanding the Support Range for 100% Salary Coverage of Reduced Working Hours Allowance During Childcare Period

The eligible children for civil servants' childcare time, which can be used for up to 2 hours per day, will be expanded from the current under 5 years old to under 8 years old or up to the 2nd grade of elementary school.

The salary support for the childcare period work hour reduction allowance, which is paid to civil servants who reduce their working hours for childcare to compensate for income loss, will also increase from the initial 5 hours per week to the initial 10 hours per week at 100% of the salary.

On the 25th, the Ministry of Personnel Innovation announced that the amendment to the "National Public Officials Service Regulations and Regulations on Public Officials' Allowances" (Presidential Decree), which includes these details, has passed the Cabinet meeting.

First, starting from the 2nd of next month, the eligible children for childcare time, which can be used for up to 2 hours per day, will be expanded from under 5 years old to under 8 years old or up to the 2nd grade of elementary school, strengthening care support. The usage period will also increase from a total of 24 months to 36 months.

Also, civil servants who switch to time-selective public officials (working 15 to 35 hours per week) by reducing working hours instead of taking childcare leave will receive 100% of their monthly salary (up to 2 million KRW) as a childcare period work hour reduction allowance for up to 10 hours reduced per week. Previously, 100% of the monthly salary was paid only for up to 5 hours per week.

Paid family care leave, which was previously paid for up to 3 days, will be expanded to be used as paid leave proportional to the number of children (number of children + 1 day). For example, if there are 3 children, 4 days will be granted; if 4 children, 5 days will be granted. Family care leave is a special leave that can be used when care is needed, such as participating in daycare or school events or accompanying hospital visits.

To boost the morale of low-tenure civil servants, the annual leave days for civil servants with a service period of 1 year or more but less than 4 years will be expanded from the current 12-15 days to 15-16 days, and the expiration period for saved annual leave, currently 10 years, will be abolished to activate long-term leave. These contents are also included in this amendment.

Kim Seung-ho, Director of the Ministry of Personnel Innovation, said, "This amendment is intended to boost the morale of frontline civil servants and create an environment where work and childcare can be balanced," adding, "We will continuously expand and improve the care system, such as promptly expanding the eligible age of children for childcare time to reverse the low birthrate trend."

Additionally, the Ministry of Personnel Innovation announced that the amendment to the "Public Officials Appointment Decree" (Presidential Decree), which includes easing the limit on the number of promotions from grade 7 to grade 6 and abolishing the restriction on the number of promotion reviews held up to twice a year, also passed the Cabinet meeting on the same day. The requirement for the length of service to use self-development leave will be shortened from 5 years to 3 years for low-tenure civil servants.

This amendment is a follow-up measure to the "Measures to Create Conditions for Concentrated Work of Public Officials" jointly announced by the Ministry of Personnel Innovation and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety in March, and is scheduled to be promulgated and immediately implemented within this month.