Seoul City Publishes Case-Based 'Labor Consultation Manual'...Guidelines for HR and Labor Officers

Essential Points for Consulting on Rights Violations Including Labor Law, Wage Arrears, Unfair Dismissal, and Workplace Harassment

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 22nd, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has published the 'Labor Consultation Manual 2022,' a reference guide for counselors dealing with various labor rights violations that workers may experience in the workplace, such as wage arrears, unfair dismissal, industrial accidents, and workplace harassment. The manual includes legal interpretations, reporting procedures, and post-action methods, and serves as a guideline usable by experts, labor counselors from various institutions, and HR and labor managers in companies.

The newly published 'Labor Consultation Manual 2022' is the third revised edition following the first edition in 2015 and the second revision in 2018. It reflects recent amendments to labor laws, Supreme Court precedents, and changes in administrative interpretations. Additionally, it includes newly added sections on construction workers and labor unions, areas where consultations have recently increased.

The manual is composed of commonly applicable labor laws for workers, frequently referenced cases of rights violations by sector, countermeasures, and common damages and solutions for workers in blind spots. First, it summarizes frequently consulted labor law topics by subject at the very beginning. In particular, it enhances convenience by presenting tables on wage calculation methods for mid-term resigners, unemployment benefit eligibility requirements, and the Maternity Protection Act.

Furthermore, by sector, it provides detailed information on responses to various labor rights violations workers may face, including ▲wage arrears ▲unfair dismissal ▲working hours, holidays, and leave ▲industrial accidents ▲social insurance ▲workplace harassment ▲sexual harassment and sexual violence, as well as how to apply for social safety nets.

‘Care workers’ and ‘construction workers,’ who are in the blind spots of rights protection, are treated in separate chapters. For consultations related to the ‘care worker’ occupation, it thoroughly explains essential knowledge such as the ‘Long-term Care Insurance System for the Elderly,’ working hours, length of service, dismissal and recommended resignation, wage calculation methods, and types of unfair tasks that must be checked before consultation. For ‘construction workers,’ it carefully covers basic information such as types of employment contracts, methods for remedying wage arrears, and industrial accident compensation systems, which are recent issues.

The 'Labor Consultation Manual 2022' can be downloaded free of charge by anyone from the Seoul Labor Portal website. Printed copies are being distributed by the Seoul Labor Rights Center. For detailed inquiries, contact the Seoul Labor Rights Center by phone.

Jang Young-min, the Seoul City Labor Policy Officer, said, “The revised manual includes a wide range of content from labor laws commonly applicable to workers to frequently asked questions about rights protection and remedies for rights violations. We hope it will serve as a guideline widely used not only by experts but also by HR and labor managers in institutions and companies, helping to quickly resolve workers’ difficulties and damages.”

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