From Labor to Legal and Tax Matters... CU Launches Consultation Service for All Franchise Stores

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] BGF Retail announced on the 6th that starting this year, it will implement a total consultation service covering labor, legal, and tax matters for all CU franchise stores nationwide.

This year, the company is expanding the operation of systems that provide practical assistance on issues closely related to store management, such as minimum wage, weekly holiday allowance, and job stabilization funds, which were difficult for franchisees to understand.

A new labor agency service has been added. Since 2018, BGF Retail has operated the ‘CU Labor Consultation Service,’ where franchise owners can directly consult with labor attorneys on all labor-related matters including hiring, managing, and retiring staff.

The newly established labor agency service this year is a free service where a certified labor attorney handles all labor-related tasks upon the franchise owner’s request. It supports everything from the four major social insurances for employees to job stabilization funds, Durinuri subsidies, and the Youth Tomorrow Savings Program, ensuring franchisees do not miss out on various government subsidies by managing eligibility screening to document submission.

Additionally, franchise owners who find it difficult to obtain labor-related information can receive monthly updates through the CU Labor Monthly Magazine and participate in regular labor education via various channels, including online labor training accessible anytime and anywhere.

Legal consultation services will also be provided starting this month. Consultations cover not only real estate, lease, and compensation related to store operations but also personal legal matters such as divorce and criminal cases. Franchise owners can consult with lawyers by phone at their preferred time. Legal consultations are free and have no usage limits.

The scope of tax consultation services has been significantly expanded from this year to include personal tax consultations unrelated to the store, such as inheritance tax, acquisition tax, and property tax, whereas previously only store-related inquiries were possible. However, this service is only available to franchisees using tax accountants affiliated with BGF Retail.

BGF Retail is strengthening franchise consultation services to provide franchise owners with more comprehensive and professional guidance, reducing potential risks and supporting their personal circumstances as well.

Im Ji-hoon, head of the BGF Retail Win-Win Support Team, said, “As various issues directly or indirectly affecting the convenience store business increase recently, we have launched a total consultation service where experts can coach franchise owners on matters that are difficult to manage individually. Going forward, CU will continue to establish various systems to support smooth store operations and create a healthy franchise culture that grows together.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.