The South Korean government has made a proposal to increase the legal weekly working time to 69 hours. Although the proposal was aimed at protecting the employees, the reactions were not delayed.
While reducing working hours is an increasingly common practice in Western countries, from south korea An offer came in the opposite direction of this move. 40 hour weekly in 2018 maximum South Korea, which has increased the working time to 52 hours, has proposed a law to further increase the time.
The South Korean government has set the maximum allowable weekly working hours. 69 hours per day about 14 hours wanted it to be. While the government stated that this arrangement would enable employees to regulate their own working hours, the reactions to this idea were not delayed.
What does South Korea envision with 69 hours per week?
First of all, it is necessary to pay attention to the ‘maximum’ emphasis here. The standard working time of 40 hours continues to apply in the current 52-hour system in South Korea. The remaining 12 hours are overtime covers. But according to the Labor Minister’s words, some companies do not pay their employees additional wages even after exceeding the 52-hour period.
By increasing the maximum working hours to 69 hours, it is aimed to increase the working time including overtime to 29 hours, thus preventing the employees from working for free. In addition, the overtime the right to be deducted from the standard working time will also be presented.
In other words, employees work overtime for a period of time. longer leave can receive. This could offer more flexibility to employees, according to the government.
What are the concerns about?
Especially the opposition and the reactions from the unions, now every weekday where they may have to work from 9 a.m. to midnight towards.
A 27-year-old employee living in Seoul also criticized this situation based on their own work culture:
“You don’t just run out the door at 6 pm, you put on your clothes carefully and make sure you pay attention to what your colleagues are doing so you don’t get out while everyone else is working. There are a lot of gray areas where I say ‘I wish the offer had taken up’.”
How much work is done in South Korea?
According to OECD data for 2021, 18% of South Korean workers work more than 50 hours a week. This period marks South Korea after Turkey, Mexico, Colombia and Costa Rica. to fifth place pushing. Yes, Turkey is at the top of the list.
South Korea’s proposal is expected to be presented to parliament in July.
RELATED NEWS