Workplace harassment to be compensated in South Korea

The Ministry of Personnel Management announced this revision of the Act for Public Servants which was recently passed at a Cabinet meeting, providing a legal foundation for compensation for public servants who suffer from illnesses due to workplace harassment.

Previously, the government provided compensation for illness, disability and death caused by workplace harassment based on the ministry’s administrative regulation on occupational diseases for public servants.

The ministry said the revision is targeted to strengthen national responsibility and ensure stronger protection for public servants who suffer from workplace harassment leading to mental distress or even death.

Gabjil 119, an advocacy group for workplace bullying victims, analysed the number of deaths caused by workplace harassment in 2021 which showed that half of 18 workers who died following workplace harassment last year were working in public or affiliated institutions, according to The Korea Bizwire.

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The public officials occupational accident compensation system is designed to provide appropriate compensation for injury, disease, disability, or death of public officials in the course of performing public duty, support their rehabilitation and return to work, create an environment through accident prevention projects to help public officials focus on their work, and improve welfare of bereaved families of public officials, according to the Ministry of Personnel Management.