Must Bring Pregnancy Confirmation and Maternal Health Handbook
Seongsimdang, a famous bakery in Daejeon, has taken measures after concerns arose that its 'Free Pass' service, which allows pregnant women to enter without waiting, was being abused.
On the 8th, Seongsimdang posted on its official Instagram account a notice titled 'Pregnant Women Free Pass Guide,' explaining the revised method for verifying pregnancy. According to the notice, to use the discount and Free Pass system for pregnant women, they must bring a pregnancy confirmation certificate or a maternity handbook. The expected delivery date is verified and cross-checked with an ID. Once pregnancy is confirmed, the pregnant woman and one accompanying person can enter the store without waiting in line, and a 5% discount is applied to the payment amount made using the store’s terminal.
Seongsimdang has long provided a 5% discount benefit for pregnant women as well as the Free Pass service allowing entry without waiting. However, complaints arose as cases increased where individuals who were not pregnant obtained pregnancy badges and abused the system. Since the pregnancy badge does not verify specific personal information such as the pregnancy period, Seongsimdang has strengthened identity verification by requiring a pregnancy confirmation certificate or maternity handbook in addition to the pregnancy badge.
Seongsimdang is taking the lead in overcoming the low birthrate in the region. Recently, it was revealed that they are preparing to operate a workplace daycare center aimed to open in November. A new building with one basement floor and four above-ground floors (land area 205㎡) is under construction near the main store in Daeheung-dong, Jung-gu, Daejeon. The 2nd and 3rd floors of this building, scheduled for completion in the second half of this year, will be used as a daycare center for Seongsimdang employees’ children and employee rest areas.
According to a job posting from the Daejeon Childcare Comprehensive Support Center, Seongsimdang conducted recruitment in August for childcare staff including daycare teachers, assistant teachers, extended care teachers, and cooks. The expected start date is November.
Under the current Infant Care Act, businesses employing 300 or more female workers or 500 or more workers in total are required to establish workplace daycare centers. During a Ministry of Employment and Labor survey last year, Seongsimdang calculated the number of regular employees by branch and was classified as a business with fewer than 300 employees, so it is not obligated to establish a workplace daycare center. Nevertheless, due to the high proportion of female employees, Seongsimdang is opening a workplace daycare center to improve employee welfare and help overcome the regional low birthrate.
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