Annual Leave Can Now Be Used by the Hour... Labor Standards Act Amendment Passed

Immediate Departure After 4 Hours of Work If Desired
Law Reflects Tripartite Agreement Among Labor, Management, and Government
Hourly Annual Leave System to Take Effect One Year After Promulgation

Going forward, annual leave, which could previously only be used in full-day increments, can now be taken in hourly increments.

On May 7, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced that a proposed amendment to the Labor Standards Act, which includes these changes, has been passed by the National Assembly in a plenary session. The amendment also allows employees who work only four hours a day to leave work immediately without taking a separate rest break, if they so choose.

Previously, the Labor Standards Act required employees to take a mandatory 30-minute statutory rest break after working four hours before they could leave work. This amendment was prepared to reflect the results of discussions by the "Task Force for Promoting the Roadmap to Reduce Actual Working Hours," which included representatives from labor, management, and the government.

The system allowing annual leave to be used in hourly increments will take effect one year after the law is promulgated, while the provisions regarding rest breaks will take effect six months after promulgation.

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