This undated file photo shows Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (C) attending an event to promote the “Seoul Birth Support Project.” (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, June 3 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul city government said Monday it will offer exceptional incentives to small and medium-sized companies that implement childbirth and child care promotion systems, such as payment of money gifts for birth and flexible work hours.
Incentives, such as the supply of replacement workers, extra allowances for co-workers of those on parental leave and preferential loan benefits, will be given to small and medium-sized businesses, depending on points they win from each measure to promote childbirth, child care and employees’ work-life balance, the city government said.
The incentives are part of the capital’s policy to tackle the nation’s low birthrate, which is dubbed the “Seoul Birth Support Project.”
Companies will first earn points as they enforce systems to encourage childbirth, childrearing and work-life balance and then receive various incentives based on the accumulated points, it explained.
City officials said the latest incentive policy has been devised to encourage voluntary corporate participation in the national campaign to boost fertility rates through attractive compensation. Applications for the incentive program will begin through the city government’s work-life balance website (www.swfb.or.kr) on June 20, they added.
(Yonhap)
