Efforts are underway to expand maternity protection policies aimed at addressing the low birthrate, including reducing working hours during the childcare period and introducing spousal maternity leave. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEJONG, Oct. 5 (Korea Bizwire) – Efforts are underway to expand maternity protection policies aimed at addressing the low birthrate, including reducing working hours during the childcare period and introducing spousal maternity leave.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced on Wednesday that proposed amendments to the Act on Equal Employment and Support for Work-Family Reconciliation, the Act on Employment Insurance, and the Labor Standards Act were approved during the Cabinet meeting on the same day.
The ministry plans to submit these amendments to the National Assembly this month. Under the proposed changes, parents with a child under 8 years of age or up to the second grade in elementary school, as well as those with a child younger than 12 or up to the sixth grade in elementary school can apply for a reduction in working hours during the childcare period.
The eligibility criteria for reducing working hours during pregnancy will also be made more accessible. Moreover, spousal maternity leave can now be taken in three separate blocks instead of one continuous period. The duration of spousal maternity leave will be extended from the current five days to ten days.
Furthermore, the infertility treatment vacation period will be expanded from the existing one paid day of leave and two unpaid days of leave to two paid days of leave and four unpaid days of leave.
J. S. Shin (js_shin@koreabizwire.com)
