"Summer Vacation Distributed from July to September · Cafeteria Recommended to Operate in 2-3 Shifts" (Update)

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The government has decided to extend the summer vacation period until mid-September and implement a staggered lunch schedule in two to three shifts to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

Yoon Tae-ho, head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters' quarantine team, stated at a regular briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 29th, "We plan to guide 19,375 workplaces nationwide with more than 100 employees to operate summer vacations in a dispersed manner from early July to early or mid-September."

The Ministry of Employment and Labor reported to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters earlier that day, instructing workplaces to voluntarily stagger their summer vacations to prevent the nationwide spread of COVID-19.

Accordingly, local labor offices will conduct surveys on summer vacation status and distribute dispersion plans to workplaces, encouraging them to autonomously create their own plans to stagger summer vacations according to their workplace characteristics.

Except in unavoidable cases such as suspending factory operations during the vacation period due to workplace characteristics, the government plans to allow an extension and dispersion of the summer vacation usage period.

Guidance on staggered lunch hours will also be implemented simultaneously. Lunch start times will be divided into two to three shifts, and dining hall quarantine guidelines such as maintaining personal distance while waiting for meals and arranging tables in a single direction will be enforced. For workplaces that do not operate in-house cafeterias and use external restaurants, staggered lunch hours by department will also be guided.

Yoon emphasized, "If vacations concentrate from late July to mid-August, there is concern about nationwide spread. COVID-19 not only affects workers' health but also causes economic losses to workplaces, so it is very important that vacation periods are evenly distributed."

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