Ministry of Employment Grants First Special Overtime Approval to Mask Manufacturers for Hospital Staff

First Case After Amendment of Enforcement Rules of Labor Standards Act
Authorization for 139 Workers Over 4 Weeks
720,000 Masks Provided to Foreign Employment Workplaces

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] On the 31st, the Ministry of Employment and Labor authorized special extended work hours for mask manufacturers to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia).

This authorization is the first case approved after the enforcement of the revised Enforcement Rules of the Labor Standards Act, which expanded the reasons for authorizing special extended work hours.

The company applied for special extended work hours to produce masks distributed to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, nationwide quarantine officers, the Central Medical Center, and other hospital staff.

This can be seen as a case where equipment supply is directly supported for personnel performing tasks to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Employment and Labor judged that it falls under Reason No. 2 in the Enforcement Rules, "cases requiring urgent measures to protect human life or ensure safety."

The Ministry authorized special extended work hours for 139 workers at the mask manufacturing company for four weeks (16 hours for the first two weeks, 12 hours for the following two weeks).

Additionally, to protect workers' health, workers requesting it are to receive health checkups, and appropriate measures such as granting leave based on a doctor's opinion are to be taken.

Meanwhile, the Ministry plans to urgently supply 720,000 masks to workplaces vulnerable to the novel coronavirus, such as construction, manufacturing, and service industry sites employing many foreign workers.

Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jae-gap stated, "We will promptly take action upon receiving applications for special extended work hours to ensure there are no disruptions in quarantine work to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus."

He added, "We will actively consider support such as employment retention subsidies for parts manufacturers whose operations have been suspended due to factory closures in China, and guide workplaces to grant sick leave or other leave when workers are hospitalized or quarantined."

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