Gyeonggi-do Holds First Meeting of 2024 Emotional Laborers' Rights Protection Committee

Election of Vice Chairman and Presentation of Appointment Letter
Deliberation on Gyeonggi-do Emotional Laborers' Rights Protection Model Guidelines

The Gyeonggi-do Emotional Laborers' Rights Protection Committee, which deliberates on matters related to protecting emotional laborers and guaranteeing their rights, held its first meeting on the 21st at the situation room of the Gyeonggi-do Northern Government Complex.

The Gyeonggi Province Emotional Labor Workers' Rights Protection Committee held its first meeting on the 21st at the situation room of the Gyeonggi Northern Government Complex and is taking a commemorative photo. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

The Gyeonggi-do Emotional Laborers' Rights Protection Committee was established under the "Ordinance on the Protection of Emotional Laborers and the Promotion of a Healthy Labor Culture in Gyeonggi-do." It is chaired by Oh Hu-seok, the 2nd Deputy Governor of Gyeonggi-do Administration, and consists of 14 members including labor attorneys, representatives from labor rights centers, related university professors, and psychological counselors.

Eleven committee members attended the meeting, during which the vice-chairman was elected, model guidelines for protecting the rights of emotional laborers in Gyeonggi-do were discussed, and the establishment and role of the Gyeonggi-do Emotional Laborers' Rights Protection Center were reviewed.

Gyeonggi-do has prepared the "Model Guidelines for the Protection of Emotional Laborers in Gyeonggi-do" to help emotional laborers effectively handle conflicts with residents (complainants) during customer service and other work processes. These guidelines present key points for protecting the rights of emotional laborers and include measures to effectively manage conflicts and stress that may arise during job performance.

At the meeting, the committee set the "Criteria for Protected Emotional Laborers," targeting workers primarily engaged in customer service (phone and face-to-face). Discussions were held regarding the scope of application of the model guidelines, including workers who meet the criteria for protected emotional laborers, employers, administrative bodies, and customers using the services.

Additionally, deliberations were conducted concerning the establishment of the Gyeonggi-do Emotional Laborers' Rights Protection Center. The need to establish a specialized institution capable of formulating comprehensive plans for protecting emotional laborers and effectively implementing them was also discussed.

The model guidelines approved by the committee at this meeting will be distributed to Gyeonggi-do, local public enterprises and invested or funded institutions in Gyeonggi-do, various facilities supported by the province, and city and county governments.

Oh Hu-seok, the 2nd Deputy Governor of Gyeonggi-do Administration, stated, "The number of emotional laborers in Gyeonggi-do is approximately 2.8 million. Due to changes in the labor environment and consumer trends, protecting emotional laborers has emerged as a social issue. We will prepare effective policies to prevent harm to emotional laborers and protect their rights, and strive to raise public awareness about respecting emotional laborers among residents."