After Applying for Childcare Time, Health Center Did Not Renew Contract... Human Rights Commission Calls It "Discriminatory Act"

Contract Extension Request Followed by Parental Leave Application Denied
Human Rights Commission: "Violation of Equality Rights, Discriminatory Act"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The National Human Rights Commission has ruled that excluding someone from contract renewal at a public health center simply because they applied for childcare time is unfair.

The Human Rights Commission announced on the 13th that it recommended the head of the health center to take cautionary measures and establish prevention plans after determining that excluding Ms. A, who worked as a fixed-term public official at a local government health center, from contract renewal for applying for childcare time after taking parental leave constitutes "discriminatory behavior infringing on the right to equality."

Ms. A took parental leave for four months from July to October last year and returned to work in November of the same year. After returning, she applied to her superior at the health center for "childcare time," stating she needed more time to care for her child. According to the "Local Public Officials Service Regulations," public officials with children under the age of five can receive up to two hours of childcare time per day within 24 months for child care and parenting.

However, the health center later denied Ms. A's application for contract extension, and she retired when her contract ended in January this year. Ms. A filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, claiming that refusing contract renewal because she applied for childcare time was employment discrimination.

The health center argued to the Human Rights Commission that Ms. A had conflicts with other team members and issues with her work attitude, which led to the denial of contract renewal.

However, the Human Rights Commission's investigation revealed that before Ms. A applied for childcare time, in October last year, the health center sent a document to the city hall requesting Ms. A's contract extension, but after she applied for childcare time in November, the document was changed to deny her contract extension. The Commission concluded, "Considering the circumstances comprehensively, it is difficult to find any special reason other than Ms. A's consecutive applications for childcare time after returning from parental leave to justify excluding her from contract renewal."

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