Ministry of Employment Eases Eligibility for Workplace Daycare Staff and Operating Cost Support and Advances Payments Early

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The government has decided to ease the support requirements for workplace daycare centers struggling with operations due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) and to provide advance payment of three months' worth of labor and operating costs upon employer request.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 19th that it has prepared special support measures to alleviate the operational burden on workplace daycare centers, which have been closed for an extended period due to COVID-19.

First, in exceptional cases such as COVID-19, it will allow overlapping payments of government subsidies and local government emergency support funds.

Recently, some local governments have been providing emergency support funds for daycare centers to be used for childcare staff labor costs and operating expenses. However, according to related regulations, workplace daycare centers that have received support from local governments cannot receive overlapping labor and operating cost support from the Ministry of Employment and Labor.

As a result, workplace daycare centers were unable to benefit from local government emergency support funds responding to COVID-19, and this issue has now been addressed.

Additionally, the labor cost support requirements for childcare teachers and others have been relaxed.

Previously, labor costs were supported only for childcare teachers who had 20 or more paid employment days in a month. Due to COVID-19, if childcare teachers took unpaid leave such as family care leave and had fewer than 20 paid employment days, they could not receive full labor cost support.

In response, in emergency situations, even if childcare teachers take unpaid leave resulting in fewer than 20 paid employment days, labor costs can be calculated and supported on a daily basis.

Finally, in emergency situations, labor and operating costs can be advanced and supported.

According to related regulations, labor costs for childcare teachers and daycare center operating expenses are regularly supported, but since the immediate operational burden on daycare centers is significant, the field has requested early support for labor and operating costs.

Considering these voices from the field, it has been arranged that up to three months' worth of labor and operating costs can be advanced and supported upon employer application.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor plans to complete the revision of regulations to implement these special support measures by next month and will prioritize implementation by utilizing the 'Active Administration System.'

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