Strict Disciplinary Action Against Unauthorized Work Hour Absences at Seoul Metro Corporation

To Establish Discipline for Construction Workers Exempt from Working Hours, Conducting 'Unannounced Special Duty Inspections' and 'Compliance Checks by Management Departments,' Applying a Zero-Tolerance Policy for Violations and Strict Accountability

Seoul Metro (President Baek Ho) announced that it will strictly discipline violations by applying a zero-tolerance policy through measures such as 'unscheduled special duty inspections' and 'compliance checks of management departments' to establish discipline among employees exempted from working hours and others.

The corporation conducted an average of about 590 inspections and audits annually over the past three years (2020?2022) and disciplined 96 individuals related to unauthorized absences over the past five years since 2019.

This corresponds to approximately 20 people per year.

Additionally, since 2020, eight labor union officials have been disciplined for duty violations such as time-off abuses.

The corporation stated that it received the audit results on the 22nd of last month after undergoing an investigation (audit) on the 'Operation Status of Working Hours Exemption System for Investment-Subsidized Institutions' by the Seoul Metropolitan Government Audit Committee starting in June this year.

The city audit identified numerous union officials whose use of employee transportation cards outside of exempted working hours was absent, making it difficult to verify whether they performed their duties properly.

Accordingly, the corporation began a full investigation earlier this month on all users of the working hours exemption system, including those subject to the city audit. This full investigation will include nine union officials caught during the corporation’s own duty inspection in May, and plans to pursue recovery of improperly received wages and disciplinary actions against violators confirmed to have neglected their duties.

In particular, through covert inspections conducted from July 21 to September 19, the corporation detected violations by four union officials who were absent without leave. They will be suspended from their positions first, and three supervisors responsible for management will also face corresponding disciplinary measures based on the violations.

The corporation has established attendance management guidelines and conducts employee attendance management centered on supervisors. It is making every effort to establish employee discipline through special inspections and preventive audits during vulnerable periods, special audits based on reports, and operating anonymous reporting systems such as the 'Corruption Reporting Center.'

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