Parental Leave During Pregnancy, '12-35 Weeks' Pregnant Women Allowed Flexible Commute Hours

Enforcement from the 19th after Deliberation and Resolution at the State Council Meeting

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Pregnant workers will be able to take parental leave starting from the 19th. Workers who are 12 to 35 weeks pregnant, previously excluded from the system, will also be allowed to adjust their commuting hours.

The government announced that related laws, including the Act on Gender Equality in Employment and Work-Family Balance Support, containing these provisions, will be enforced from this day following approval at the Cabinet meeting. The key point is allowing parental leave, which was previously only available after childbirth, to be taken during pregnancy. Workers can now apply for parental leave as soon as their pregnancy is confirmed. Accordingly, even if health issues arise for the pregnant mother or fetus, there is no longer a need to use annual leave or other pre- and postnatal leaves. Previously, pre-birth leave was limited to a maximum of 90 days, with 45 days used after childbirth, meaning only 44 days of leave excluding the day of birth could be taken, leading to concerns about insufficient rest time for mothers and fetuses. Applications must be submitted at least 30 days before the planned start date of leave, or 7 days in cases of high risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.

According to the amendment of the Labor Standards Act, from this day forward, workers who are 12 to 35 weeks pregnant are also allowed to adjust their commuting hours. Previously, this adjustment was only permitted for female workers who were 1 to 12 weeks pregnant or after 36 weeks. Other pregnant workers had to use crowded public transportation during commuting hours, raising concerns about health deterioration. Eligible workers must submit an application with a medical certificate to their employer at least three days before the planned change in working hours. Employers must comply with such requests from pregnant workers unless it causes significant disruption to business operations.

Hwang Bo-guk, Director of the Integrated Employment Policy Bureau at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stated, "By implementing parental leave for pregnant workers and the commuting time adjustment system, we expect to protect workers' health and reduce concerns about career interruptions." He added, "We will actively guide workers to freely utilize maternity protection-related systems such as parental leave and do our best to support employers."

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