Suncheon-si Provides Income Compensation to Hospitalized Workers... Sickness Benefits Payment

Ministry of Health and Welfare Selected as Pilot Site for 'Sangbyeong (Injury and Illness) Allowance' -

From July 1, Local Workers Hospitalized for 3 Days or More to Receive 43,960 KRW per Day

[Suncheon=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Hyung-kwon] Suncheon City announced on the 12th that it has been selected as a pilot area for the ‘Sick Leave Allowance Pilot Project,’ which allows workers to receive partial income compensation during treatment periods when they are ill.

The sick leave allowance is a social security system that compensates income so that workers can focus on treatment when economic activities are difficult due to non-work-related illness or injury. The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to introduce this system in 2025 and is conducting a pilot project.

Among 63 local governments nationwide that applied for this pilot project, six local governments including Suncheon City, Jongno-gu in Seoul, Bucheon City in Gyeonggi Province, Cheonan City in Chungnam Province, Pohang City in Gyeongbuk Province, and Changwon City in Gyeongnam Province were selected.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to divide the six local governments into three groups and apply different sick leave allowance pilot models to compare and analyze policy effects.

In the case of Suncheon City, local workers who are hospitalized for more than three days will receive 43,960 KRW per day based on 60% of the minimum wage for the number of days they use medical services.

The maximum payment period is 90 days, during which the company must maintain employment.

The city signed a business agreement with the Ministry of Health and Welfare and will sign agreements with the National Health Insurance Service, cooperative workplaces, and medical institutions next month to implement the pilot project for one year starting July 1.

A Suncheon City official stated, “We expect this pilot project selection to greatly help workers who have been reluctant to take leave despite illnesses such as COVID-19 to recover their health and safely return to the workplace.”

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