Family Care Leave Cost Support of "1 Million Won Combined for Couples" Extended Until September 30

Ministry of Employment Provides Emergency Support for Workers to Resolve Care Issues
Extended Until After Second Semester Due to Prolonged COVID-19
40.4 Billion Won Paid to Approximately 119,000 People Over 5 Months

Asia Economy DB=Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The government has decided to extend financial support for workers' family care leave costs until the end of September. This is to address the care gap issue caused by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 23rd that it will extend the cost support for workers who used family care leave due to school closures, partial attendance, and other reasons until September 30, after the start of the second semester.

Initially, considering the need for child care due to remote classes and attending school at least once a week amid COVID-19, family care costs were supported until the end of the first semester.

However, recently, concerns about the resurgence of COVID-19, mainly in the metropolitan area, have increased, and following the Ministry of Education's follow-up measures on the 16th, it was decided to extend family care cost support until the end of September.

Considering financial requirements, third-grade elementary school students are excluded from this support, and only up to second-grade elementary school students will be supported.

Workers who have not yet used all 10 days of family care leave can apply for support if they use the remaining leave for children in kindergarten and first and second grades of elementary school (children with disabilities under 18 years old) for partial attendance, remote classes, etc., until September 30 after the start of the second semester.

Support can also be applied for family care leave used due to closures or suspension of attendance for children attending daycare centers until September 30.

If family care leave was used because a family member was classified as a confirmed COVID-19 case, suspected patient, or symptomatic person under investigation, family care costs will be supported until the COVID-19 situation ends.

The maximum payment period per worker is 10 days, with a maximum support amount of 500,000 KRW. Couples can receive up to 1,000,000 KRW combined.

Emergency support for family care costs has been applied for by a total of 127,782 people (181,712 cases) from March 16 to August 20, and 118,606 people have received 40.4 billion KRW. The average payment per applicant was 341,000 KRW.

For detailed information on family care leave and emergency support for family care costs, visit the Ministry of Employment and Labor website, Facebook, Appanet, or contact the Ministry of Employment and Labor consultation center (☎1350).

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