Reduced Working Hours For Pregnant Employees

Furthering the Korean government's policy response to an aging society and low birthrate, the 2014 amendment to the Labor Standards Act permitting pregnant employees at critical points in their pregnancy to request shorter working hours without a reduction in pay has now become effective for all employers from March 25, 2016.

Pregnant employees whose pregnancies are within the first 12 weeks, or whose pregnancies have extended past 36 weeks, may request the employer to shorten the employee's workday by up to two (2) hours per day, provided that employees whose normal workday is fewer than eight (8) hours may not request a reduction to a total of fewer than six (6) hours per day.