By Kim Jae-heun
Female immigrant workers will be allowed to change their jobs if they suffer from sexual violence, according to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Monday.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor accepted the commission's advice to change the employment system of female foreign workers who come here under the Employment Permit System (EPS) as a countermeasure against sex crimes.
Those who come to Korea under the EPS are allowed to change their workplaces up to three times during their three-year stay here.
According to the commission, the ministry recently provided plans to strengthen its supervision of employers' treatment of female migrant workers, offer education on sexual violence to them, and expand support for victims.
The labor ministry particularly is taking immediate action to allow female workers to change their workplaces, regardless of the number of previous changes, if they have been sexually assaulted or harassed by their employers or colleagues.
"It is a welcome decision by the ministry to take quick action in changing the system. Migrant workers, especially women, are vulnerable to repetitive sexual crimes as they usually speak little Korean," a commission official said.
In July, a female migrant worker who was working on a farm on an EPS visa claimed in a media briefing that she was sexually harassed a number of times by the farm owner. She demanded the owner be punished and the government to allow her to change her workplace.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family also decided to open five counseling centers for female migrant workers across the country. It will also provide shelter for victims and provide a lawyer for legal suits against their employers.
Female immigrant workers will be allowed to change their jobs if they suffer from sexual violence, according to the National Human Rights Commission of Korea, Monday.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor accepted the commission's advice to change the employment system of female foreign workers who come here under the Employment Permit System (EPS) as a countermeasure against sex crimes.
Those who come to Korea under the EPS are allowed to change their workplaces up to three times during their three-year stay here.
According to the commission, the ministry recently provided plans to strengthen its supervision of employers' treatment of female migrant workers, offer education on sexual violence to them, and expand support for victims.
The labor ministry particularly is taking immediate action to allow female workers to change their workplaces, regardless of the number of previous changes, if they have been sexually assaulted or harassed by their employers or colleagues.
"It is a welcome decision by the ministry to take quick action in changing the system. Migrant workers, especially women, are vulnerable to repetitive sexual crimes as they usually speak little Korean," a commission official said.
In July, a female migrant worker who was working on a farm on an EPS visa claimed in a media briefing that she was sexually harassed a number of times by the farm owner. She demanded the owner be punished and the government to allow her to change her workplace.
The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family also decided to open five counseling centers for female migrant workers across the country. It will also provide shelter for victims and provide a lawyer for legal suits against their employers.
