Non-compete clauses in Korean employment contracts are enforceable in Korea, but there are some limitations and requirements that must be met for them to be regarded as lawful and, thus, enforceable. A Non-Compete Clause is a type of restrictive covenant that is designed to protect the business of an employer from competition from a particular party. These clauses are, typically, utilized after the completion of the sale of a business or after termination of employment. The following article shall, specifically,
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Filing a Petition to a Korean Ministry of Employment & Labor’s Labor Office in South Korea
Filing a petition to the Korean Labor Office in Korea in your area is the first step for some employees in Korea who assert that their labor rights under Korean Labor Law are violated. In many cases, it is advisable to not file with the Ministry of Employment & Labor’s (MOEL) Labor Office, but file, directly, to a Korean District Court. This discussion of the proper forum for a dispute in a Korean labor law case is beyond the scope
Continue readingDismissal of Employees in Korea: Supreme Court of Korea Precedent
The Korean Supreme Court ruled, in March of 2018, that a company may terminate employees for one incident of employee gambling. The case is a precedent that may make it easier for employees to terminate employees that violate certain company rules without the need to provide notification and an opportunity to improve. The case stems from the termination of bus drivers that were caught on one occasion gambling prior to driving buses. The lower courts ruled, in short, that gambling
Continue readingWrongful Termination in South Korea
South Korea is not an “at-will” employment country, which means that an employer may not dismiss an employee for any reason nor without warning or notice. Under the Korean Labor Standard Act, an employer who has five or more employees may not dismiss or suspend from work any of its employee without “justifiable cause.” And even the employer can establish justifiable cause for dismissal, in Korea, the employer is still required to give a minimum of 30-days advance notice (or
Continue readingKorean Labor Law Checklist for Employers and Employees
The Korean Ministry of Labor created this list with revisions by Sean Hayes and IPG. I will update the list periodically. The checklist is intended for all employers that employ five or more workers. The list contains many generalizations, thus, don’t take this as the end all list. I suggest, also, clicking on the label to the right entitled Korean Employment Law. Please note that Korea’s Labor Law is evolving rapidly, thus, this list may not reflect recent changes. KOREAN
Continue readingThe Ten Commandments of Labor Relations in South Korea: Korean Human Resources Basics
Korea has one of the most capricious and least efficient labor forces in the world (which the exception of a few industries) and China is catching up with Korea very fast. Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines will soon follow. The fault is not only on the employees, but on the employers. Korean companies have departed for greener fields in China to discover that the fields are not as green as originally imagined. Many of these same companies,
Continue readingKorean Workplace Discrimination Laws
There are numerous Korean labor and employment laws that prohibit employers from discriminating against their employees in a Korean workplace. These Korean workplace discrimination laws are found in a myriad of Korean statutes and regulations. This article on Korea’s discrimination laws shall provide a quick guide as to where employers and employees can locate the basic requirements under law. The major pieces of legislation are the following: the Korean Labor Standards Act; the Korean Equal Employment Opportunity Act; the Korean
Continue readingMinimum Wage Raised in Korea for 2020: Employment Law Updates
South Korea has chosen to raise the minimum wage by 2.9% for 2020 to KRW 8,590 (c. USD 7.11). The Minimum Wage Commission of Korea set the wage at a lower than expected increase because of deteriorating economic conditions in Korea. President Moon’s plan to raise the minimum wage to KRW 10,000 per hour shall fall short, because of, among other things, a slower than expected growth rate and regional geopolitical issues facing Korea. We shall keep the reader updated
Continue readingKorean Independent Contractor Risks: Korean Labor Standards Act Basics
The Korean Court System has been less reluctant, in recent years, to deem a Korean independent contractor an “employee” under the Labor Standards Act (LSA). This fact remains true even when an employer establishes that the independent contractor is aware that he/she was contracted as an independent contractor, thus, not a regular employee of the Korean company. Upon the establishment of the status as “employee” in Korea, the individual is entitled to all of the benefits of an employee including,
Continue readingRestrictive Covenants in Korean Employment Agreements and the Lawyers in Korea that Draft Them
The form agreements dished out by some Korean “legal experts” on employment law at many of the “ubiquitous” Korean “law firms” has led me to write, again, on this issue. If a lawyer gives you a form labor agreement/employment separation agreement that does not consider the below, no need to fret, you are not alone – just move on. Most firms and attorneys in Korea are providing work product that is much lower in quality than the mediocre firms overseas
Continue readingIncreased Scrutiny of Employers by Korean’s Ministry of Employment & Labor under President Moon’s Administration: HR Audit Needed by Korean Employment Lawyers
Many Korean Employment Lawyers are taking note of the recent initiative by Korea’s Ministry of Employment & Labor. At the end of June of 2017, the Ministry announced an “Unfair Labor Practice Eradication Initiative.” This Initiative intends to investigate and punish perceived “unfair labor practices” of employers in Korea by having the Ministry of Employment & Labor conduct more audits of companies and provide punishment for those perceived to be in violation of Korea’ Labor Law. It is time to
Continue readingCan you Revise Employment Rules in Korea without the Agreement of Employees?
The Guidebook on Wage System Reform, published by the Korean Ministry of Employment & Labor, has sparked more interest, in the private sector, than the revamping of Korea’s wage system based on seniority. The major issue, in this regard, is if the Rules of Employment of a company may be amended, without violating the Labor Standards Act of Korea (“LSA”), when “wage system reform” is not consented to by a majority of the employees or the trade union. Numerous Korean
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Korean Employment Law & Labor Law amendments under Pres. Moon Administration
President Moon President Moon promised during his presidential campaign to make major changes to Korean Labor Law & Korean Employment Law . President Moon intends to make Korean Labor Law more protective and beneficial for workers. The major changes, in short, promised by the new administation are the following: Create 810,000 New Jobs via expanding Korea’s Public Sector President Moon has vowed to create over 340,000 new government social service jobs and over 140,000 new government jobs in public safety
Continue readingEnforcement of Covenants Not to Compete in Employment Agreements in Korea: Restrictive Covenants in Korea
It is getting easier for an employer to enforce non-compete restrictive covenants in employment agreements in Korea, because of recent judgments by lower Korean courts noting, among other things, the value of trade secrets in competitive industries in Korea. Korean Non-Compete Agreements Recently, a interesting case, in a Seoul, Korean court, concerning the wedding planning business was handed down by the Seoul Central District Court (2104NA63529). The Court upheld a three non-compete clause against an employee, but reduced a liquidated
Continue readingUnfair/Wrongful Dismissal of Foreign Executives under Term Contract with Korean Chaebols & MNL in Korea
Expat executives working in Korea are typically hired by Korean conglomerates and multinational companies doing business in Korea based on two or three year contracts. Many of these contracts contain terms that are in violation of Korean Labor Standards Act and other laws and regulations. These employment contracts often have one to six-month at-will termination clauses. In many cases, these contracts are in violation of the Korean Labor Standards Act and other laws and regulations. Many foreign executives, recently, have
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