Labor Law 101_005 Make sure you have a contract before you start working.

After you got a job offer from employer in Korea, you may be thrilled for your new opportunity.  

However, first things first. 

You should always read your labor contract before you start working. Labor contract is a document that the employer(owner of business) and employees draft before the employees start working, based on agreed terms regarding employment. 

To meet Korean labor law, the employer(owner) should contain the working condition in the contract and give the contract document itself to the employee.   If the employer(owner) does not create a labor contract, he will be subject to fine due to violation of law. 

Immigrant workers must keep one copy of labor contract and should check their working conditions.

Legal terms regarding Korean labor law 

According to Korean law, the "standard working hour" is 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week.  "Extended work hour" means working hours exceeding 8 hours a day, and for such extra work, one can earn additional 50% of hourly rate for those overworked hours.  For night-hour labor, which means working sometime between 10 pm to 6 am, one is entitled to additional 50% of hourly rate for those nighttime work.  If you work on holidays, you can claim additional 50% of hourly rate for those holiday work.  Rules regarding additional hourly rate do not apply to small business with less than 5 employees. 

 If you have not made a labor contract with your employer, you should keep record of your work days and work hours in your journal or calendar, and keep the bank statement of your wage for your record.

You can find labor contract forms in various languages at the following link:

https://www.eps.go.kr/FormDataR.eo?bbswSn=2044

https://www.eps.go.kr/FormDataR.eo?bbswSn=2043#wrap

Below are the template of standard labor contracts. 

표준근로계약서 Standard Labor Contract
(앞쪽)
아래 당사자는 다음과 같이 근로계약을 체결하고 이를 성실히 이행할 것을 약정한다. The following parties to the contract agree to fully comply with the terms of the contract stated hereinafter.
사용자 Employer	업체명 Name of the enterprise		전화번호 Phone number
	소재지 Location of the enterprise
	성명 Name of the employer		사업자등록번호(주민등록번호) Identification number
근로자 Employee	성명 Name of the employee		생년월일 Birthdate
	본국주소 Address(Home Country)
1. 근로계약기간		- 신규 또는 재입국자: ( ) 개월 - 사업장change자: 년 월 일 ~ 년 월 일 * 수습기간: [ ]활용(입국일부터 [ ]1개월 [ ]2개월 [ ]3개월) [ ]미활용 ※ 신규 또는 재입국자의 근로계약기간은 입국일부터 기산함(다만,「외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률」제18조의4에 따라 출국한 날부터 3개월이 지난 후 재입국한 경우는 입국하여 근로를 시작한 날부터 기산함).
1. Term of Labor contract		- Newcomers or Re-entering employee: ( ) month(s) - Employee who changed workplace: from ( YY/MM/DD) to ( YY/MM/DD) * Probation period: [ ] Included (for [ ] 1 month [ ] 2 months [ ] 3 months from entry date), [ ] Not included ※ For newcomers or re-entering employees, the labor contract will enter into effect from the entry date(but, the contract of employees who re-enter three months after departing from Korea in accordance with Article 18-4 of Act on Foreign Workers` Employment, etc. will enter into effect from the first day of work).
2. 근로장소		※ 근로자를 이 계약서에서 정한 장소 외에서 근로하게 해서는 안 됨.
2. Place of employment		※ The undersigned employee is not allowed to work apart from the contract enterprise.
3. 업무내용		- 업종: - 사업내용: - 직무내용:
3. Description of work		- Industry: - Business description: - Job description:
4. 근로시간		시 분 ~ 시 분 - 1일 평균 시간외 근로시간: 시간 (사업장 사정에 따라 변동 가능) - 교대제 ([ ]2조2교대, [ ]3조3교대, [ ]4조3교대, [ ]기타)		※ 가사사용인, 개인간병인의 경우에는 기재를 생략할 수 있음. ※ An employer of workers in domestic help, nursing can omit the working hours.
4. Working hours		from ( ) to ( ) - average daily over time: hours (changeable depending on the condition of a company) - shift system ([ ]2groups 2shifts, [ ]3groups 3shifts, [ ]4groups 3shifts, [ ]etc.)
5. 휴게시간		1일 분
5. Recess hours		( ) minutes per day
210mm×297mm[백상지(80g/㎡) 또는 중질지(80g/㎡)]

(뒤쪽)
6. 휴일	[ ]일요일 [ ]공휴일([ ]유급 [ ]무급) [ ]매주 토요일 [ ]격주 토요일 [ ]기타( )
6. Holidays	[ ]Sunday [ ]Legal holiday([ ]Paid [ ]Unpaid) [ ]Every saturday [ ]Every other Saturday [ ]etc.( )
7. 임금	1) 월 통상임금 ( )원 - 기본급[(월, 시간, 일, 주)급] ( )원 - 고정적 수당: ( 수당 : 원), ( 수당: 원) - 상여금 ( 원) * 수습기간 중 임금 ( )원 2) 연장, 야간, 휴일근로에 대해서는 수당 지급
7. Payment	1) Monthly Normal wages ( )won - Basic pay[(Monthly, hourly, daily, weekly) wage] ( )won - Fixed wages: ( fixed wages : )won, ( fixed wages : )won - Bonus: ( )won * Wage during probationary employment period: ( ) won 2) Additional pay rate applied to overtime, night shift or holiday work.
8. 임금지급일	매월/매주 ( )일/요일. 다만, 임금 지급일이 공휴일인 경우에는 전날에 지급함.
8. Payment date	( ) of every month/every week. If the payment date falls on a holiday, the payment will be made on the day before the holiday.
9. 지급방법	[ ]직접 지급, [ ]통장 입금 ※ 사용자는 근로자 명의로 된 예금통장 및 도장을 관리해서는 안 됨.
9. Payment methods	[ ]In person, [ ]By direct deposit transfer into the employee's account ※ The employer will not retain the bank book and the seal of the employee.
10. 숙식제공	1) 숙박시설 제공 - 숙박시설 제공 여부: [ ]제공 [ ]미제공 제공 시, 숙박시설의 유형([ ]아파트, [ ]단독주택, [ ]연립ㆍ다세대 주택, [ ]아파트 또는ㆍ주택에 준하는 시설, [ ]그 밖의 임시 주거시설) - 근로자 부담금액: 원 2) 식사 제공 - 식사 제공 여부: 제공([ ]조식, [ ]중식, [ ]석식) [ ]미제공 - 근로자 부담금액: 원
	※ 숙식제공의 범위와 근로자의 비용 부담 수준은 사용자와 근로자 간 협의(신규 또는 재입국자의 경우 입국 이후)에 따라 별도로 결정.
10. Accommo -dations and Meals	1) Provision of accommodation - Provision of accommodation: [ ]Provided, [ ]Not provided (If provided, type of accommodations: [ ]Apartment, [ ]House, [ ]Multiplex housing unit, [ ]Apartment or House style accommodation, [ ]Other makeshift accommodations) - Cost of accommodation paid by employee: won 2) Provision of meals - Provision of meals: [ ]Provided([ ]breakfast, [ ]lunch, [ ]dinner), [ ] Not provided - Cost of meals paid by employee: won
	※ Accommodation arrangement and costs, including the amount paid by employee, will be determined by mutual consultation between the employer and employee (Newcomers and re-entering employees will consult with their employers after arrival in Korea).
11. 이 계약에서 정하지 않은 사항은 「근로기준법」에서 정하는 바에 따른다. ※ 가사서비스업 및 개인간병인에 종사하는 외국인근로자의 경우 근로시간, 휴일ㆍ휴가, 그 밖에 모든 근로조건에 대해 사용자와 자유롭게 계약을 체결하는 것이 가능합니다.
11. Other matters not regulated in this contract will follow provisions of the Labor Standards Act. ※ The terms and conditions of the labor contract for employees in domestic help and nursing can be freely decided through the agreement between an employer and an employee.
년 월 일 ____________ (YY/MM/DD) 사용자: (서명 또는 인) Employer: (signature) 근로자: (서명 또는 인) Employee: (signature)

표준근로계약서(농업ㆍ축산업ㆍ어업 분야) Standard Labor Contract(For Agriculture, Livestock and Fishery Sectors)
(앞쪽)
아래 당사자는 다음과 같이 근로계약을 체결하고 이를 성실히 이행할 것을 약정한다. The following parties to the contract agree to fully comply with the terms of the contract stated hereinafter.
사용자 Employer	업체명 Name of the enterprise		전화번호 Phone number
	소재지 Location of the enterprise
	성명 Name of the employer		사업자등록번호(주민등록번호) Identification number
근로자 Employee	성명 Name of the employee		생년월일 Birthdate
	본국 주소 Address(Home Country)
1. 근로계약기간		- 신규 또는 재입국자: ( ) 개월 - 사업장change자: 년 월 일 ~ 년 월 일 * 수습기간: [ ]활용(입국일부터 [ ]1개월 [ ]2개월 [ ]3개월), [ ]미활용 ※ 신규 또는 재입국자의 근로계약기간은 입국일부터 기산함(다만,「외국인근로자의 고용 등에 관한 법률」제18조의4에 따라 출국한 날부터 3개월이 지난 후 재입국한 경우는 입국하여 근로를 시작한 날부터 기산함).
1. Term of Labor contract		- Newcomers or Re-entering employee: ( ) month(s) - Employee who changed workplace: from ( YY/MM/DD) to ( YY/MM/DD) * Probation period: [ ]Included (for [ ]1 month [ ]2 months [ ]3 months from entry date), [ ]Not included. ※ For newcomers or re-entering employees, the labor contract will enter into effect from the entry date(but, the contract of employees who re-enter three months after departing from Korea in accordance with Article 18-4 of Act on Foreign Workers` Employment, etc. will enter into effect from the first day of work).
2. 근로장소		※ 근로자를 이 계약서에서 정한 장소 외에서 근로하게 해서는 안 됨.
2. Place of employment		※ The undersigned employee is not allowed to work apart from the contract enterprise.
3. 업무내용		- 업종: - 사업내용: - 직무내용: (재배작물 종류, 가축 종류, 연근해어업, 양식어업, 소금채취업 등 해야 할 일 등을 구체적으로 기재)
3. Description of work		- Industry: - Business description: - Job description: (State the detailed working duties and responsibilities of the list of crops or livestock, costal fishery, aquiculture, salt harvesting)
4. 근로시간		- 시 분 ~ 시 분 - 월 ( )시간		*「근로기준법」제63조에 따른 농림, 축산, 양잠, 수산 사업의 경우 같은 법에 따른 근로시간, 휴게, 휴일에 관한 규정은 적용받지 않음. *In pursuant to the Article 63 of the Labor Standards Act, working hours, recess hours, off-days are not applied to agriculture, forestry, livestock breeding, silk-raising farming and marine product businesses.
		※ 평소보다 근로시간의 변동 폭이 큰 농번기, 농한기(어업의 경우 성어기, 휴어기) 등의 경우 당사자가 협의하여 별도로 정할 수 있음.
4. Working hours		- Regular working hours: from to - ( ) hours/month
		※ Flexible working hours can be arranged and applied separately through consultation during peak seasons or off-seasons based on varied workloads.
5. 휴게시간		1일 분
5. Recess hours		( ) minutes per day
6. 휴일		[ ] 주1회, [ ] 월1회, [ ] 월2회, [ ] 월3회, [ ] 기타 ( ) ※ 휴일은 정기적으로 부여하는 것을 원칙으로 하되, 부득이 한 경우 당사자가 협의하여 날짜를 조정할 수 있음. 농번기(성어기) : [ ] 주1회, [ ] 월1회, [ ] 월2회, [ ] 월3회, [ ] 기타 ( )
210mm×297mm[백상지(80g/㎡) 또는 중질지(80g/㎡)]

If you have any employment law disputes with your employer, please contact me. 

I am Hyunjoo Ahn, a lawyer with Korean and US(CT) law licenses.
I have experience in both legal systems and understand the unique situation of foreign residents in Korea. My practice area include civil, criminal, administrative, contract, employment, family issues in Korea law, and US immigration law.

You can reach me via email or by phone.

I look forward to assisting you in any legal matter you may have.

Thanks!

Hyunjoo Ahn, Esq. (JD, LLM)

Law Office of Hyunjoo Ahn
Member of Korean Bar Association
Member of Connecticut Bar Association

540-1, Sangmu Building, Sangmu-jungang-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju, Korea
Tel: 062-373-1298
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E-mail: lawyer4expats@gmail.com

lawyer4expats@gmail.com