Due to COVID-19, Half of Working Moms in Their 20s to 40s Are at High Risk of Stress

Seoul Eastern District Working Moms Support Center, Establishes and Supports 'Health and Social Safety Net'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] A survey revealed that about half of women in their 20s to 40s who are raising children while working are experiencing severe stress due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

According to the Seoul Eastern Region Working Moms Support Center on the 19th, a self-assessment of stress was conducted on 308 working parents from March 25 to April 15, during the social distancing period. Among the 308 participants (247 women, 61 men), 37.3% (115 people) were classified as high-risk, and 54% (167 people) as potential risk.

In particular, among the 247 female respondents, 112 (45%) were in the high-risk group, nearly half, and among the 196 female respondents in their 20s to 40s, 52% (101 people) were high-risk, and 42% (83 people) were potential risk.

The center has established and supports a 'Working Moms Health Safety Net' for these women, offering free cardiovascular disease screenings, psychological assessments, and connections to professional psychological counselors. At the same time, to address working moms' difficulties, the '2020 Gender Equality Labor Rights Support Group' consisting of 12 members including lawyers, labor consultants, and psychological counselors was launched.

The center also reported that the number of maternal protection consultations received between February and March, when COVID-19 damage was concentrated, totaled 950 cases, a 66.4% increase compared to 571 cases during the same period last year.

These included inquiries about emergency support systems such as family care leave due to COVID-19, as well as cases of unfair treatment such as unjust transfer of employees returning from parental leave due to business difficulties, pressure to resign after parental leave, non-payment of severance pay to fixed-term workers on parental leave, and threats of contract non-renewal.

The center explained that it guides workers with specific laws and administrative interpretations to directly respond to employers, sends official letters recommending correction of legal violations to employers, and strives to resolve issues through various methods such as face-to-face mediation, complaints to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and applications for relief to the Labor Relations Commission.

Kim Ji-hee, director of the Eastern Region Center, emphasized, "It is necessary to establish a social safety net for working moms suffering from employment threats related to pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare, as well as psychological anxiety during the COVID-19 period."

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