Gwanak District Revises Service Ordinance to Introduce Special Leave for New Public Officials

Including the "Right to Disconnect"

On June 24, Gwanak District in Seoul announced that it will promulgate the "Ordinance on the Service of Local Public Officials in Gwanak District, Seoul Metropolitan City" on July 3. The revised ordinance focuses on introducing new types of "special leave" for specific situations, with the aim of boosting morale among MZ generation public officials and encouraging long-term retention among junior employees.

Park Junhee, mayor of Gwanak District, had a sympathy talk session with newly appointed public officials last May. Provided by Gwanak District.

First, the district will introduce a "Special Leave for Completion of Probation" for newly appointed MZ generation employees. According to Article 28 of the Local Public Officials Act, newly appointed officials at grade 6 or below are initially appointed as probationary employees for six months. During this period, the hiring agency evaluates their work performance, training results, and suitability as public officials, and then appoints them as regular officials upon completion of the probationary period.

Under the revised ordinance, new public officials appointed in Gwanak District will be granted "one day of special leave" that can be used within 30 days from the date their probation ends. The revised ordinance also introduces a special leave for employees who are about to enlist in the military. The district will provide young employees with time to prepare before enlistment by granting one day of special leave on the day before enlistment and another day on the day after discharge, helping to ease the psychological burden of returning to work immediately after military service.

Additionally, a "birthday special leave" of one day has been newly established to promote the welfare of employees celebrating their birthdays. This is expected to boost morale among public officials and serve as a practical measure to support work-life balance.

Furthermore, the district will be the first among Seoul's autonomous districts to introduce a "right to disconnect" provision, which guarantees the right of employees to refuse work instructions outside of working hours, thereby protecting their personal time and improving working conditions.

Park Junhee, mayor of Gwanak District, stated, "We expect that this revision of the service ordinance will help prevent new employees from leaving public service and support their stable adaptation to the early stages of their careers. We will take the lead in creating a warm organizational culture where everyone enjoys working."