4 in 10 Workers Denied Holiday Rest on Labor Day

Nearly 40% of workers were reportedly unable to fully secure paid holidays even on the first Labor Day designated as a statutory public holiday. Despite the designation, which marks the first time in 63 years, many workers could not rest or receive proper compensation.

According to a survey, 35.2% of respondents did not receive guaranteed paid holidays for this Labor Day. Among full-time workers, 24.2% were not guaranteed paid holidays, while dispatched workers received 40%, daily laborers, freelancers, and specially employed workers received 60%, and workers at businesses with fewer than five employees received 58.3%.

Specially employed workers, classified as self-employed, sometimes do not receive statutory allowances even when they work on Labor Day. Approximately 9 million workers, including specially employed, platform, and freelance workers who are not recognized as laborers under the Labor Standards Act, cannot enjoy their right to rest as they are not guaranteed holidays on statutory public holidays.

Labor groups are urging amendments to the Labor Standards Act, and the government has stated it will resolve blind spots through the enactment of a 'Basic Law on Workers' Rights'.