Ruling Party Pushes for 'Fair Hiring Act'... Complete Eradication of Hiring Corruption

by Kim Youngwon

Published 25 Apr.2023 10:39(KST)

The People Power Party is set to completely revise the Employment Procedures Act into the "Fair Employment Act" to eradicate hiring corruption issues.

On the morning of the 25th, Park Dae-chul, the chairman of the Policy Committee, stated at the party floor strategy meeting held at the National Assembly, "The People Power Party and the government intend to fully amend the Employment Procedures Act into the Fair Employment Act to eliminate hiring corruption and unfair hiring practices."

Chairman Park explained, "Recently, in companies favored by young people, issues such as employment inheritance through collective agreements and preferential hiring have been ongoing. Because of this, the already narrow job market has become like a needle's eye. There are many criticisms that the current Employment Procedures Act imposes only light punishments for hiring solicitations and coercion, and that it does not meet the fair standards expected by our youth."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The People Power Party plans to strengthen penalties for fraudulent hiring and amend the law to eliminate unfair procedures such as so-called 'parental chances' during the hiring process. Chairman Park emphasized, "We will strengthen the penalties for hiring solicitations or coercion and punish both the instigators and the executors if fraudulent hiring acts are committed."

He continued, "We plan to establish grounds to allow cancellation of employment if hired through fraudulent means, and to prohibit questions about parents' occupations or requests for unnecessary personal information during interviews."

The bill revision is being handled by Representative Im E-ja, the floor whip of the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee and chairperson of the party's Labor Reform Special Committee. The final direction will be decided once the bill is reported at the party members' meeting discussing contentious bills later that afternoon.