Gabjil 119 has shed light on the troubling practice of alleged “blacklists” created by companies, which reportedly hinder former employees’ efforts to secure new employment. (Image courtesy of Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Feb. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – A recent revelation by the civic organization Gabjil 119 has shed light on the troubling practice of alleged “blacklists” created by companies, which reportedly hinder former employees’ efforts to secure new employment.
One individual shared their ordeal of being threatened by their team leader with a ruined industry reputation after attending a job interview with another company, highlighting the coercive environment some face when considering a job change.
According to current labor laws, it is illegal for anyone to obstruct a worker’s employment opportunities by creating or using secret codes, lists, or communications for this purpose. Violations can lead to severe penalties, including up to five years in prison or fines up to 50 million won.
However, Gabjil 119 points out that many workers struggle to gather evidence against such blacklists, making it difficult to report these violations. The situation is even more challenging for freelancers and special employment workers, who are not recognized as employees under the Labor Standards Act and thus have limited recourse beyond civil lawsuits for damages.
The organization has highlighted instances where employers use these alleged blacklists not only to impede resignations but also to discourage employees from reporting workplace harassment.
One case involved a salesperson from a car dealership who, after protesting against their manager’s abusive behavior and submitting a collective grievance, found themselves unable to secure employment due to purportedly being on a blacklist.
Another individual, after filing a wage theft complaint with the Ministry of Employment and Labor, was threatened by their employer with industry-wide defamation. This person later experienced further intimidation at a new job, where their previous employer warned the new company’s representative to be wary of them.
In a related development, the “Coupang Workers’ Health and Human Rights Measures Committee” recently exposed documents in a press conference on February 14, alleging that Coupang Fulfillment Services (CFS), a logistics subsidiary of Coupang, managed a blacklist to block the hiring of 16,450 logistics center workers.
Gabjil 119 has condemned such practices, asserting that if these allegations are true, they constitute clear violations of the Labor Standards Act and the Personal Information Protection Act. The group emphasized that the creation and maintenance of blacklists should never be tolerated under the guise of a company’s proprietary rights.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
