At this time, it’s common to work until at least 2 a.m., and leaving at 3 or 4 a.m. is usual.
Some new hires suddenly just left a laptop on the desk and didn’t show up for work.
Because I was busy every winter, I couldn't go to the hair salon, and it was funny that the hairstylist thought I was working at a ski resort.
With the peak season for accounting audits (from January to March every year), accountants are complaining about the pain from high-intensity labor. Although there have been movements towards improvement with the establishment of labor unions for the first time since the implementation of the 52-hour workweek, some accounting firms are facing backlash for employing 'tricks'.
According to the accounting industry on the 8th, on the 1st, a public petition titled ‘Eradication of unreasonable labor exploitation in accounting firms and demands for compliance with the Labor Standards Act’ was registered on the National Assembly's electronic petition platform. The post met the petition requirements by gaining 100 signatures within three days of being posted.
According to the petition, some accounting firms operate a 'time control' system that exploits labor by arbitrarily controlling or minimizing the input of accountants' working hours. There are also cases where they evade legal obligations by settling overtime work on a monthly basis. It was claimed by the petitioner that there are even places where accountants face disadvantages in performance evaluations if they input their actual working hours. Additionally, there have been allegations that even after being forced to use vacation days, they are still assigned work.
Accounting firms acknowledge that these situations occur to some extent. However, they express that due to the nature of the industry, it is unavoidable. Most companies submit their audit reports by the end of March, so from January to March, the work of auditing financial statements is bound to be concentrated. An accountant working at a large accounting firm said, 'During this season, posts expressing concerns like “I can’t reach my accountant all day” and “I can only meet them if I go to the office” frequently appear on the anonymous workplace community platform Blind,' adding, 'I receive calls simultaneously from past clients, current clients, and future clients, leading to a constant build-up of work.'
A survey conducted by the National Union of Office and Financial Services Workers and the Young Certified Public Accountants Society on 600 accountants ahead of the introduction of the 52-hour workweek in 2018 found that 55.7% reported average weekly working hours exceeding 80 hours during this period. Only 2.2% reported working between 40 and 52 hours. Moreover, lower-tier positions, particularly those with 3 to 5 years of experience (senior level), exhibited higher labor intensity.
An official from an accounting firm noted, 'Even though the 52-hour workweek system was introduced, the workload remains the same, and many accountants are still suffering from overwork.' They added, 'While overtime can be compensated with leave or allowances, the reality is that there is an expectation from the company.'
However, some argue that the work environment has improved compared to before the implementation of the 52-hour workweek. A senior official from an accounting firm remarked, 'With the introduction of the External Audit Act, the 52-hour workweek, and the standard audit time system, accountants’ work-life balance has improved, and salaries have also increased,' adding, 'In fact, experienced workers are taking on more work to avoid burdening junior staff.'
Nonetheless, there are continued calls for improvements related to unrealistic working conditions. It is emphasized that illegal actions against less experienced employees, who may find it harder to assert their rights, need to be stopped. In April 2024, EY HanYoung Accounting Corporation, one of the Big Four firms, received a correction order from the Ministry of Employment and Labor for requiring interns to work up to 90 hours a week without paying overtime. The firm stipulated in the intern contract 'regular working hours: 40 hours per week,' and 'overtime, night, and holiday work allowances are 50% extra,' but in practice directed interns to work 70 to 90 hours a week while providing no overtime pay.