Seoul to mandate reduction in working hours for civil servants with children

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Beginning in 2024, Seoul Metropolitan Government officials with childcare responsibilities will have the flexibility to customize their work schedules according to their children's age groups.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced, Thursday, the implementation of a new system for its workers, empowering them to effectively balance work and childcare.

The system grants pregnant employees the flexibility to prioritize self-care by reducing their daily working hours by two, enabling them to work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This adjustment aims to help them avoid congested commuting hours.

Parents with children aged up to five will be able to manage their working hours flexibly, either leaving work three hours early or arriving three hours late, facilitating time for childcare.

Parents with elementary school children, aged six to eight, who return home early from school, will benefit from the introduction of flexible working hours in the city. This initiative allows them the option to leave work four hours early for four days a week, facilitating their engagement in educational guidance for their children. Compensatory work hours can be extended on another day to ensure overall work commitments are met.

In contrast to the limitations of the existing childcare support system, which faced challenges, the new system will automatically enroll officials to allow them to choose the most suitable work time based on each child's age group.

To further incentivize and recognize employees utilizing these flexible work arrangements, departments with a higher proportion of parents will receive priority in new employee assignments. Additionally, during regular personnel evaluations, employees with childcare responsibilities will be prioritized for placement within their respective departments, thereby reducing their overall workload.

"We hope these efforts will inspire similar initiatives in the private sector, fostering a societal culture where childcare concerns are collectively addressed rather than being solely the responsibility of individuals," said Jung Sang-hoon, the head of the local autonomy administration bureau at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.