Human Rights Commission: "Providing Family Allowance to Eldest Son Not Living with Biological Parents is Discrimination"

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghoon Jeong] The National Human Rights Commission has determined that providing family allowances to the eldest son even if he does not live with his parents, and granting paid leave only in the event of the death of paternal grandparents, constitute discrimination. The Commission recommended that Corporation A, Transportation Company B, and others improve related regulations and practices.

The petitioners filed complaints with the Human Rights Commission, arguing that Corporation A and others discriminate by paying family allowances to the eldest son despite him not living with his parents, and that Transportation Company B discriminates by granting paid condolence leave only for the death of paternal grandparents but not for maternal grandparents.

In response, Corporation A and others replied, "This reflects the social atmosphere where responsibility and burden for supporting direct ascendants have generally been concentrated on the eldest son. Due to the need for consultation with labor unions and other reasons, immediate improvement is difficult."

However, the Human Rights Commission's Discrimination Remedy Committee judged that "Differentiating family allowance payments based on birth order and gender is a remnant of the Hoju system, which regarded the male eldest son as the supporter, despite the abolition of the Hoju system and significant changes in awareness regarding family functions and role sharing among family members."

The Human Rights Commission's Discrimination Remedy Committee recommended that Corporation A and others revise related regulations to ensure that family allowances for direct blood relatives are not unfairly determined based on birth order or gender. Additionally, it recommended that Transportation Company B improve the practice of excluding maternal grandparents' deaths from paid leave, unlike paternal grandparents' deaths.

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