Half of Office Workers Report Being Contacted for Work During Vacation

A survey by a civic group showed that about 1 in 2 office workers has experienced receiving work-related contacts, working, or returning to the office during their vacations.

Workplace Gabjil 119 announced that in a survey conducted by the polling agency Global Research from June 1 to 9 among 1,000 office workers aged 19 or older nationwide, 48.8 percent of respondents answered that they had experienced receiving work-related contacts during their vacations.

Respondents who said they immediately handled work from home or a cafe after receiving a contact accounted to 37.7 percent, while those who reported going to the office or returning to the site to process work stood at 15.8 percent.

By respondent characteristics, the higher the wage level, the higher the position, and the longer the tenure, the higher the proportion of respondents who received work-related contacts during vacation.

One office worker reported to Workplace Gabjil 119 that their team leader repeatedly pressured them via messenger to upload work documents during their vacation, eventually forcing them to work and reply on the messenger while on annual leave.

Another office worker complained that as the company recklessly reduced its workforce, it not only forced overtime work after leaving the office but also demanded they receive work-related contacts and attend meetings during their vacation.

Respondents who stated that they received work-related contacts during vacation but informed others it was their vacation and postponed the tasks accounted for only 15.8 percent.

Amendments to the Labor Standards Act aimed at prohibiting work-related contacts outside of working hours were proposed in July and September 2024, but they remain pending in the National Assembly.

Jeong Hee-sung, a labor attorney at Workplace Gabjil 119, pointed out that contacting workers for work outside of working hours, such as during vacations or after leaving work, is an act of workplace abuse (gabjil) that infringes on workers' right to rest and forces unpaid labor.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.