"35% of Office Workers Cannot Take Leave on Labor Day"

A recent survey has found that about 4 out of 10 office workers do not receive guaranteed paid leave on Labor Day.

Yonhap News

원본보기 아이콘

On April 26, the civic group Workplace Gapjil 119 announced that, according to a poll conducted by the research firm Global Research from February 2 to 8 targeting 1,000 office workers, 35.2% said they are not guaranteed paid leave on Labor Day.

By occupation, the rates of not being granted leave were higher among less secure forms of employment: 60.0% of daily workers, 59.3% of freelancers and specially employed workers, 57.0% of part-time workers, and 40.0% of dispatched service workers. In contrast, only 16.5% of large company employees reported not being guaranteed paid leave.

There were also differences in responses according to workplace size regarding paid leave guarantees. The rates were as follows: 83.5% for private companies with 300 or more employees, 69.8% for private companies with 30 to less than 300 employees, 65% for private companies with 5 to less than 30 employees, 63.4% for central and local public institutions, 41.7% for private companies with fewer than 5 employees, and 23.1% for other types.

By wage level, higher earners were more likely to have guaranteed paid leave. Among respondents earning 5 million won or more per month, 83.1% reported being guaranteed leave. This was followed by 72.5% for those earning between 3 million and less than 5 million won, 58.1% for those earning between 1.5 million and less than 3 million won, and 43.3% for those earning less than 1.5 million won, showing a proportional relationship between income and paid leave guarantees.

Although Labor Day is established as a paid holiday under the "Act on the Establishment of Labor Day," it does not apply to those who are not classified as workers under the Labor Standards Act, such as freelancers or public officials. However, this year, Labor Day has been designated a statutory holiday, allowing the entire population to take a day off.

Park Sungwoo, Head of the Online Union at Workplace Gapjil 119, stated, "Even though every worker should enjoy labor rights guaranteed by the Constitution, far too many workers remain outside the protection of labor law." He further explained, "Because public holidays marked in red on the calendar are still only legally recognized as holidays for businesses with five or more employees, there are countless so-called 'fake' businesses with fewer than five employees and businesses that have been deliberately split up." He also emphasized, "The number of workers who are not even recognized as workers-such as specially employed workers, platform workers, and those who are freelancers in name only-approaches a staggering 9 million. There is no more urgent labor law reform task than applying labor law to all workers."

The organization will begin by holding a "Workers' Testimony Rally" at noon today in Gwanghwamun Square, Jongno District. On April 30, they will hold a Labor Day eve festival in front of the Blue House, and on Labor Day itself, May 1, they will hold a press conference at Jeon Taeil Bridge in Jung District to announce the position of non-regular workers.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.