Seoul City Expands Annual Leave Days for Low-Tenure Public Officials and Broadens Scope of Childcare Time Usage

Seoul City Councilor Park Seok's Proposed Amendment to the 'Seoul City and Seoul City Council Public Officials Service Ordinance' Passed
Expected to Help Ensure Work-Life Balance for Seoul City Public Officials

Seoul Metropolitan Council member Park Seok (People Power Party, Dobong 3) proposed amendments to the 'Seoul Metropolitan Government Employee Service Ordinance' and the 'Seoul Metropolitan Council Employee Service Ordinance,' both of which have been passed.

Park stated, "This amendment reflects the government's 'Measures to Create Conditions for Concentrated Work of Public Officials,' which revised the 'Local Government Employee Service Regulations.' It includes provisions to expand annual leave days for low-tenure public officials and broaden the scope of childcare time usage, aiming to support the work-life balance of public officials."

He also emphasized, "There was a strong voice from the field that the early elementary school years, which are the initial stage of school admission, have childcare demands comparable to infancy. We revised the related provisions to ensure they do not violate higher laws while not reducing the special childcare leave, such as education guidance time, that Seoul City has been providing."

In March, Seoul City amended the service ordinance to grant special leave called education guidance time for 24 months (2 hours per day) to public officials with children aged 6 to 8, in addition to the childcare time of 24 months (2 hours per day) based on the presidential decree for public officials with children aged 0 to 5.

However, in July, the 'Local Government Employee Service Regulations' were revised so that childcare time applies to public officials with children aged 0 to 8 for 36 months (2 hours per day), causing the education guidance time under Seoul City's ordinance to conflict with the higher law.

In response, Council member Park explained, "We aimed to maintain a total of 48 months (2 hours per day) of special childcare leave by amending the ordinance to allow public officials with children aged 9 to 10, which is not specified in the presidential decree, to use 12 months (2 hours per day) of education guidance time."

Additionally, the amendment expanded the annual leave days for low-tenure public officials with 1 to less than 4 years of service from the current 12?15 days to 15?16 days, abolished the expiration period of 10 years for saved annual leave, and sought to provide opportunities for rest and recharging to enhance work productivity and foster an efficient public service culture.

Park Seok said, "Through this ordinance amendment, I hope to boost the morale of low-tenure public officials and contribute to creating a childcare-friendly organizational atmosphere."