[비즈한국] The Ministry of Employment and Labor is pushing for a policy to disclose information on companies that comply with labor laws in collaboration with private recruitment platforms, aiming for implementation next year. The initiative is intended to help job seekers easily identify companies free from wage arrears, industrial accidents, and workplace harassment. However, civil society and young people are voicing concerns, arguing that "a method of certifying only companies without problems has its limitations," and suggesting that it would be more effective to disclose "blacklisted companies" that have actual issues.
The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced this plan on September 10 while unveiling the "First Step toward Employment Guarantee," a joint measure for youth employment by related ministries. The plan involves collaborating with private recruitment platforms so that job seekers can find companies free from arrears, industrial accidents, and harassment. Under this system, when a company posts a job opening, it can consent to have the Ministry certify and display its record of labor law compliance. The idea is to induce voluntary compliance from businesses.
The items considered for disclosure are: △wage arrears, △industrial accidents, and △workplace harassment. The Ministry plans to introduce this first on its own employment service platform, "Employment 24," and then expand it to private platforms. Kim Ye-chan, an activist at the Center for Freedom of Information and Transparent Society, commented, "While exposing problematic workplaces would be more effective, information on workplaces that are free of such issues also holds value."
However, critics point to the structural limitations of an opt-in system. It is highly likely that problematic companies will avoid applying for certification, leaving only a small subset of firms for comparison. Kim Sang-cheon, a student at Kyungpook National University, said, "Compliance should be verified for all companies, and it is more realistic to disclose information about blacklisted companies."
The Ministry of Labor, however, stated that disclosing blacklisted companies is difficult under current law. Kim Hyung-sun, a deputy director at the Ministry’s Fair Employment Policy Division, explained, "Business information can only be disclosed without consent if there is a legal basis. The current systems for publicizing employers with wage arrears or industrial accidents are also operated based on specific laws."
The problem is that these standards are so high that their effectiveness is diminished. In the case of wage arrears, disclosure only occurs if the unpaid amount is 30 million won or more and the employer has been convicted twice or more within three years. For industrial accidents, conditions such as △two or more deaths in a year, △an industry-average-or-higher death rate, or △concealment of industrial accidents must be met. Furthermore, even then, the court ruling must be final.
Experts point out that the success or failure of the system will ultimately depend on what standards and data are used for certification. The consensus is that it should include conditions that job seekers actually care about, such as △adherence to minimum wage, △enrollment in the four major social insurance programs, and payment of overtime and weekly holiday allowances. For young women, information on whether a company is woman-friendly or has a history of sexual harassment is also crucial.
Workplace harassment is also a point of contention, as there is currently no public disclosure system, and critics fear that if only the number of cases is disclosed, companies might resort to cover-ups. Bae Ga-young, spokesperson for Workplace Gapjil 119, said, "Fair investigation and victim protection after harassment occurs are more important," adding, "It is desirable to disclose the existence of relevant internal regulations and training programs."
The "Study on the Development of Korean Black Company Indicators" by Youth Union, which the Ministry of Labor referenced, also suggested indicators such as abuse of internships and probationary periods, forced overtime, and restrictions on taking leave. Jung Joon-young, a researcher at the Institute for Inequality and Citizenship who led the study, emphasized, "There are business practices that exploit young people just entering the labor market," and added, "The scope of disclosure should be widened to include information on labor conditions that are particularly precarious for the youth."