A survey found that 35.2% of office workers will not be guaranteed paid time off for the upcoming Labor Day (May 1).
The civic group Workplace Gapjil 119 said on the 26th at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul that a survey of 1,000 office workers in February showed these results.
The rate of recognizing paid time off on Labor Day varied widely by employment type and establishment size. Among regular employees, 24.2% said they would not be guaranteed time off, but the rates were higher than average for ▲ day laborers at 60% ▲ freelancers and specially employed workers at 59.3% ▲ and dispatched and subcontracted workers. Also, the rate of not being guaranteed paid time off on Labor Day was about 3.5 times higher at business sites with fewer than five employees (58.3%) than at large companies (16.5%).
Labor Day is designated as a paid holiday under the relevant law, but freelancers and specially employed workers who are not recognized as "workers" under the Labor Standards Act have long been left in the blind spot. Labor Day has been designated a statutory holiday starting this year, but there is still a gap, Workplace Gapjil 119 noted.
Workplace Gapjil 119 plans to continue activities for the labor rights of non-regular workers, including a Labor Day eve event in front of the Blue House on the 30th and a press conference at Jeon Tae-il Bridge on May 1.