Short-Term Parental Leave
Overview
Short-term parental leave is a system that allows workers with children aged 8 or younger, or in elementary school up to the second grade, to use parental leave in one-month units. Unlike the existing parental leave, which had to be taken continuously for up to one year, it divides the leave into several shorter periods, thereby spreading the childcare burden and making it easier to return to work. It has been in effect since January 2024 and contributes to the spread of a work-life balance culture.
Main Contents
Background
Although Korea has a parental leave system, the usage rate among male workers in particular has been low, and small and medium-sized enterprises tended to avoid it due to the burden of workforce gaps. The burden of having to be away from work for a long period was pointed out as a major factor preventing the use of leave, and short-term parental leave was introduced to address this.
Eligibility
Short-term parental leave, like existing parental leave, can be applied for by any worker with a child aged 8 or younger or in the second grade or lower of elementary school. However, if both parents take leave at the same time for the same child, separate special provisions apply, and within 12 months after childbirth, both parents may use leave simultaneously. Leave can be requested in one-month units, and the total period combined with existing parental leave cannot exceed one year.
Duration and Number of Uses
Short-term parental leave may be used one or more times, but the minimum period is one month. For example, a worker can take three months of parental leave, return to work, and later take another two months in this divided manner. There is no limit on the number of times, but the total parental leave period must not exceed one year. This is intended to allow workers to use leave flexibly during the periods when childcare is most needed.
Pay and Support
Short-term parental leave pay is provided at 80% of ordinary wages (up to 1.5 million won per month, with a minimum of 700,000 won per month), the same as parental leave pay. However, while parental leave pay is paid at 100% for the first three months and then reduced to 50%, the same rule applies to short-term parental leave. In addition, from 2024, the deferred payment system for parental leave pay was abolished, easing eligibility requirements, allowing more workers to benefit.
Procedure and Application Method
To use short-term parental leave, a worker must first submit a request to the employer at least 30 days before the intended leave start date. The employer cannot refuse without just cause, except when the worker's spouse is already on parental leave. The worker must then apply for parental leave pay at the employment center within 30 days of the leave start date. The pay is provided monthly and is paid from Employment Insurance, not by the employer.
Differences from Regular Parental Leave
The biggest difference is that existing parental leave was, in principle, taken continuously, whereas short-term parental leave can be taken in split periods. In addition, because short-term parental leave can be used in one-month units, it can minimize the work gap that occurs when a worker is absent from work for a short period. However, the shorter the leave period, the more cumbersome the administrative procedures for receiving pay may be, and the employer has the burden of hiring replacement workers during the leave period.
Recent Trends
Since 2024, the use of short-term parental leave has been gradually expanding. According to the Ministry of Employment and Labor, the number of parental leave users in the first half of 2024 increased by about 12% compared to the same period the previous year, and the usage rate among male workers in particular rose significantly. From 2025, the upper limit of parental leave pay is scheduled to be raised, and online application procedures are being improved to make short-term parental leave easier to use. In addition, support funds for replacement workers for employees of small and medium-sized enterprises are being expanded, so work-life balance through short-term parental leave is expected to become more active.
Related Topics
- [[Parental Leave]]
- [[Reduction of Working Hours for Childcare]]
- [[Male Parental Leave]]
- [[Work-Life Balance]]