In the future, workers who utilize parental leave or flexible working hours for childcare will be able to voluntarily resign after returning to work, allowing small businesses to receive full government support. Previously, if a worker utilized such a system and voluntarily resigned, the company could not receive 50% of the government support.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on the 18th that it will propose a bill to revise parts of the Employment Insurance Act, incorporating these details, by April 28.
The government provides a monthly support of 300,000 won to small businesses that allow employees to take parental leave or reduce working hours for childcare. This is an incentive to encourage small businesses to actively utilize systems such as parental leave and childcare-related work hour reductions.
The government support provided in this way is given to the company in half, with the remaining portion provided six months later, after the employee returns to work. However, currently, if an employee does not return to the company or leaves before six months, they cannot receive the remaining half. This has led to discussions among small businesses about whether it is fair to hold the company responsible when the employee voluntarily resigns without being fired or recommended for resignation. Therefore, the government plans to provide support to small businesses even if employees resign after taking parental leave.
Additionally, the government decided to exclude individuals employed as alternative service members from receiving early re-employment compensation. Plans are also in place to simplify the payment procedures for early re-employment compensation.
Lee Jeong-han, head of the Employment Policy Office at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, noted, “This revision focused on improving the inconveniences and injustices reported from the field,” and emphasized, “We will continue to listen to voices from the field and continuously supplement the employment insurance system.”