'Renewal Expectations' For Korean Contract Workers

A 'fixed term' employment contract may not be as fixed as you might expect.

A 'fixed-term worker' (also commonly referred to as a 'contract worker') is an employee who has signed an employment contract with a fixed term. There are many reasons for using contract workers, but one of the main reasons is to cope with fluctuating demand for manpower. This is because the amount of work in a business is not always consistent, so it may not be possible to employ all the employees it needs on a full-time, indefinite-term basis.

However, dismissing a contract employee when the employment contract expires is often not easy. There are two main problems that South Korean employers face when a fixed-term contract comes to an end.