KCCI Presents 'COVID-19 Workplace Management and Worker Protection Guide by Situation'

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] As the damage to companies and workers increases due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the business community has presented a guide urging companies to respond rationally and proactively.

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) announced on the 23rd that it has distributed the "COVID-19 Related Workplace Management and Worker Protection Guide," which comprehensively organizes the tasks companies should undertake for workplace management and worker protection according to the COVID-19 occurrence situation, along with government support systems.

In the first stage, the guide requests thorough infection prevention measures within the workplace in accordance with government guidelines. Specifically, it calls for the provision of hygiene supplies such as hand sanitizers, conducting employee infection prevention education, and refraining as much as possible from business trips, meetings, and training sessions.

Information on workplace infection prevention can be found on the COVID-19 website and the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s "Workplace Response Guidelines for COVID-19 Prevention and Spread."

It also recommends actively implementing flexible work systems such as telecommuting and staggered working hours to participate in "social distancing." To minimize the possibility of infection within the workplace, it is necessary to diversify work locations to include the company, home, and remote centers, and to disperse working hours as much as possible.

The government is also implementing systems such as "Indirect Labor Cost Support for Flexible Work Systems" and "Support for Building Telecommuting and Remote Work Infrastructure" to encourage companies to adopt flexible work systems.

KCCI also suggested that for employees who have traveled to high-risk areas, companies should grant paid leave or implement telecommuting for self-quarantine after the business trip.

In the second stage, the guide states that if a worker in the workplace is diagnosed by health authorities as a confirmed COVID-19 case or a close contact, hospitalization or quarantine measures are necessary. In such cases, the worker should be granted leave.

A KCCI official recommended, "If there are sick leave provisions in employment rules or collective agreements, handle accordingly, and even if there are no related regulations, it is desirable to grant paid leave as much as possible since government support systems exist." The government supports companies that grant paid leave to employees hospitalized or quarantined under the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act with up to 130,000 KRW per day.

They also advised informing that if unpaid leave is inevitably granted due to business conditions, the employee can receive government living support funds. While annual paid leave is possible, it should be noted that it cannot be forced without the worker’s consent.

Meanwhile, as the opening of daycare centers, kindergartens, and schools has been postponed due to the COVID-19 situation, the guide also recommends granting family care leave according to government guidelines when family care is needed. The government supports workers using family care leave with 50,000 KRW per day for up to 5 days.

In the third stage, as the COVID-19 situation prolongs, the KCCI emphasized that since direct damage to companies and secondary damage to workers are inevitable, it is important to respond through mutual concession and cooperation between labor and management.

First, companies that find it difficult to comply with the 52-hour workweek due to frequent changes in production plans or increased absences and lack of substitutes should utilize flexible working hours or selective working hours systems.

Especially, since the reasons for special extended work approval have been greatly expanded from January this year, temporary workload increases or sudden situations can also be addressed through Ministry of Labor approval. However, all of these require the consent of workers, so cooperation from labor unions or workers is essential.

Meanwhile, if adjustment of working hours or temporary closure is unavoidable due to worsening business conditions, the guide informs that companies can minimize their burden and workers’ damage by utilizing the government’s "Employment Maintenance Subsidy" system.

In this regard, the government has also relaxed the payment requirements and expanded the support level of the Employment Maintenance Subsidy to support companies’ efforts to maintain employment. In particular, four industries?travel, tourism accommodation, tourism transportation, and performance?have been designated as special employment support industries, resulting in increased subsidy amounts.

Jeon Insik, head of the Employment and Labor Policy Team at KCCI, said, "Since it does not seem likely that the COVID-19 situation will end soon, it is currently difficult to estimate how much damage companies and workers will suffer. It is important to minimize damage by referring to the guide presented by KCCI and, fundamentally, for labor and management to make mutual concessions and cooperate to wisely overcome the current crisis."

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