Starting November 27, the paid portion of infertility treatment leave will increase from 2 days to 4 days. Additionally, the maximum salary cap for workers at priority support companies will rise from 168,000 won to 337,000 won.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced these changes on August 23, along with the release of a guide titled 'Utilization Guide for Infertility Treatment Leave for Employers and HR Personnel.'
Infertility treatment leave is a legal leave that allows workers to take up to 6 days annually for treatments such as artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization. With the extension of the paid leave to 4 days starting November 27, the government subsidy for workers at priority support companies will also increase from 2 days to 4 days.
The scope of eligible leave has also expanded. Since August of last year, workers can use this leave not only for medical procedures and recovery periods immediately following treatments but also for necessary preparations before treatments, such as infertility testing and ovulation induction.
A new penalty regulation will take effect on November 27, prohibiting employers from treating workers unfavorably for taking infertility treatment leave. Previously, employers were already restricted from disclosing a worker's use of this leave against their will.
To alleviate concerns about revealing infertility treatment during the leave application process, some companies have improved the naming and approval procedures for the leave. The Ministry has included examples of companies that minimize personal information exposure in the guide for reference by other businesses.
Lotte Shopping's department store division has renamed the leave to 'Family Planning Leave' to prevent the disclosure of treatment details during the application process. EcoPro has implemented a separate approval system where only the HR team can access leave requests, bypassing department heads. Incheon International Airport Security has categorized infertility treatment leave under 'personal leave' to reduce exposure of the leave reason to department heads or colleagues.
The documentation required for applying for leave has also been simplified. Since May of this year, workers can submit the 'Notification of Support Decision for Infertile Couples' issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare instead of a medical institution's diagnosis.
The importance of infertility support is growing. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 48,981 children were born last year through government and local government support for infertility treatment costs, accounting for 19.2% of all births. This means that approximately 1 in 5 newborns was born with the help of infertility support.
Cho Jung-sook, Director of Employment Support Policy at the Ministry of Labor, stated, "As the age of pregnancy and childbirth rises, the need for government support for infertility treatment leave is increasing. We will create an environment where workers can use this system without feeling self-conscious at work."
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced these changes on August 23, along with the release of a guide titled 'Utilization Guide for Infertility Treatment Leave for Employers and HR Personnel.'
Infertility treatment leave is a legal leave that allows workers to take up to 6 days annually for treatments such as artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization. With the extension of the paid leave to 4 days starting November 27, the government subsidy for workers at priority support companies will also increase from 2 days to 4 days.
The scope of eligible leave has also expanded. Since August of last year, workers can use this leave not only for medical procedures and recovery periods immediately following treatments but also for necessary preparations before treatments, such as infertility testing and ovulation induction.
A new penalty regulation will take effect on November 27, prohibiting employers from treating workers unfavorably for taking infertility treatment leave. Previously, employers were already restricted from disclosing a worker's use of this leave against their will.
To alleviate concerns about revealing infertility treatment during the leave application process, some companies have improved the naming and approval procedures for the leave. The Ministry has included examples of companies that minimize personal information exposure in the guide for reference by other businesses.
Lotte Shopping's department store division has renamed the leave to 'Family Planning Leave' to prevent the disclosure of treatment details during the application process. EcoPro has implemented a separate approval system where only the HR team can access leave requests, bypassing department heads. Incheon International Airport Security has categorized infertility treatment leave under 'personal leave' to reduce exposure of the leave reason to department heads or colleagues.
The documentation required for applying for leave has also been simplified. Since May of this year, workers can submit the 'Notification of Support Decision for Infertile Couples' issued by the Ministry of Health and Welfare instead of a medical institution's diagnosis.
The importance of infertility support is growing. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, 48,981 children were born last year through government and local government support for infertility treatment costs, accounting for 19.2% of all births. This means that approximately 1 in 5 newborns was born with the help of infertility support.
Cho Jung-sook, Director of Employment Support Policy at the Ministry of Labor, stated, "As the age of pregnancy and childbirth rises, the need for government support for infertility treatment leave is increasing. We will create an environment where workers can use this system without feeling self-conscious at work."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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