Paid Infertility Treatment Leave to Be Extended from 2 to 4 Days Starting in November

Starting in November, the paid leave period for infertility treatment leave will be extended from the current 2 days to 4 days. The maximum allowance for leave will also increase from 168,000 won to 337,000 won.

On August 23, the Ministry of Employment and Labor announced the publication of the 'Guide to Utilizing Infertility Treatment Leave for Employers and HR Managers' to help workers make use of the leave, and to assist employers and HR personnel in managing the system.

A pregnant couple is visiting a women’s specialty hospital for medical care. Photo by Yongjun Jo

Currently, infertility treatment leave is a statutory leave that can be used for up to 6 days per year. From November 27, the paid leave period will be expanded from 2 days to 4 days, and penalties will be introduced for disadvantageous treatment based on the use of this leave.

The scope of use and application procedures for infertility treatment leave have also been improved. Since August of last year, the leave’s coverage has been expanded to include not only medical procedures such as artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization and the subsequent resting period, but also essential pre-procedural steps such as infertility testing and ovulation induction.

Since May of this year, to reduce paperwork, applicants can submit the 'Decision on Support for Infertile Couples’ Procedure Expenses' notice from the Ministry of Health and Welfare instead of a medical certificate when applying for the infertility leave allowance.

This guide includes examples of companies operating the system so that employees can use infertility treatment leave without fear of scrutiny in the workplace. The department store division of Lotte Shopping changed the name of infertility treatment leave to 'Family Planning Leave' to minimize the exposure of infertility treatment during the application process.

At Ecopro, an independent approval system is in place so that only the HR team, and not the department head, can see the details of leave applications. Incheon International Airport Security allows employees to apply for infertility treatment leave under the category of 'public leave' to further reduce the exposure of personal circumstances during the leave process.

Cho Jeongsook, Director General for Employment Support Policy at the Ministry of Employment and Labor, stated, "As the age of pregnancy and childbirth rises, the government’s support for infertility treatment leave has become even more necessary," adding, "This is an important policy in overcoming low birth rates, and the government will continue making efforts to strengthen support and create a workplace environment where employees can use the system without fear of scrutiny."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.