The Ministry of Employment and Labor recently announced its “Comprehensive Plan for Labor Audits in 2021” (the "Plan"). The Plan sets out the basic directions and details of labor audits conducted by labor inspectors nationwide throughout the year.
According to the Plan, taking into account challenges facing the labor market due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, labor audits in 2021 will primarily focus on pressing issues such as (i) expanding precautions and guidance to small-sized businesses and (ii) strengthening protection for vulnerable workers.
The details of the Plan are as follows:
| Items |
Details |
| Regular inspection |
- (comprehensive precautions) - workplaces with a large number of vulnerable groups such as foreigners, women, disabled persons and construction workers
- (protection of non-regular workers) - workplaces with a high risk of illegal dispatch and workplaces that have not implemented measures to address discriminatory treatment against non-regular workers as instructed by the Workplace without Discrimination Support Group
- (prevention of long working hours) - workplaces with 300 or more employees and under poor working conditions due to long working hours
- (prevention of unfair labor practices) - workplaces that are reported to the cyber report hotline for unfair labor practices or where suspicion of unfair labor practices have been raised in the media
|
| Occasional inspection |
- Focus on industries and sectors (e.g., call centers where the need to improve the working environment, such as failure to grant break times, has been raised) where the working environment has become vulnerable due to the impact of COVID-19
- Workplaces known for repetitive/habitual non-payment of wages, given that cases of nonpayment of wages may increase due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation
|
| Special inspection |
- Without exception, workplaces that have caused social controversy due to violence against workers, habitual verbal abuse, workplace harassment and sexual harassment, etc.
|
| Labor management guidance |
- Expand labor management guidance for small-sized workplaces vulnerable to labor issues in order to support small- and medium-sized businesses facing difficulties due to COVID-19
|
| Online anonymous hotline |
- Extend the operational period of the online anonymous hotline, which has been operating since last year, until the first half of this year in order to promptly assist workers in exercising their rights for disputes regarding business suspension/leave of absence/leave
|
| Others |
- Regarding new job types such as platform workers, there is a plan to minimize legal loopholes in the labor laws by closely examining the conditions of worksites through status surveys, etc. to ensure a fair and orderly market.
|
The Plan, which was delivered to regional labor offices nationwide upon its announcement, has been implemented since February 2021. Thus, it would be prudent for employers to closely monitor this comprehensive plan for labor audits and take necessary measures in advance such as reviewing potential issues that might arise during a labor audit.
[Korean version]
