Seoul to combine contract periods for re-hired temporary workers

Seoul's city government is implementing new measures to address the issue of repeated short-term contracts for temporary workers, a practice often referred to as 'splitting contracts.' Under the new plan, when a temporary worker is rehired by the same agency, their previous contract periods will be combined to determine their treatment and benefits.

This initiative, part of Seoul's 'Plan to Improve Treatment of Non-Regular Workers in the Public Sector,' targets temporary workers directly employed by the city, its public corporations, and affiliated organizations. The core aim is to discourage the fragmentation of contracts, ensuring that workers who have accumulated significant service time, even through multiple short stints, receive appropriate compensation and conditions.

In addition to combining contract durations, Seoul will introduce 'fairness pay' for workers employed for less than one year. The amount will range from 382,000 to 2,488,000 won, depending on the length of service, to compensate for potential gaps in severance pay. Workers earning below the appropriate wage, set at 118% of the minimum wage, will receive the difference monthly.

The city also plans to guarantee proportional severance and annual leave allowances for short-term workers and reduce disparities in welfare benefits like holiday bonuses and meal allowances. However, certain direct employment programs, such as youth internships and senior job initiatives, are excluded from these new regulations. Seoul intends to allocate the necessary budget for these improvements starting in 2027 and will conduct annual reviews of each agency's compliance.