"'COVID-19 Layoffs' Asiana KAO... 2nd Trial Also Rules 'Unfair Dismissal'"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The court has once again ruled that it was unfair for Asiana Airlines' subcontractor to dismiss employees citing financial difficulties caused by COVID-19.

On the 28th at 2 p.m., the Seoul High Court Administrative Division 6-2 (Presiding Judges Wi Gwangha, Hong Seongwook, Choi Bonghee) upheld the first-instance ruling and dismissed the appeal in the case where Asiana K.O. filed a lawsuit against the Central Labor Commission seeking to overturn the unfair dismissal relief retrial decision.

Asiana K.O. is a subcontractor responsible for baggage handling and in-flight cleaning for Asiana Airlines. In 2020, when COVID-19 was spreading, Asiana K.O. demanded indefinite unpaid leave from about 500 employees due to financial difficulties, and dismissed eight workers who refused in May of the same year.

The dismissed workers applied for relief at the Seoul and Incheon Regional Labor Commissions and were ruled as unfairly dismissed, and the Central Labor Commission reached the same conclusion.

Asiana K.O. filed an administrative lawsuit seeking to overturn the Central Labor Commission's ruling.

The first trial judged that "the company did not make every effort to avoid dismissal" and deemed Asiana K.O.'s dismissal unfair, and on this day, the second trial also dismissed Asiana K.O.'s appeal.

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