The concept of "women whose career has been interrupted"
What is the meaning of the term "woman whose career has been interrupted"?
- The term "woman whose career has been interrupted" refers to any woman whose economic activities have been interrupted by marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, and care for a family member or any similar reason,or any woman who has never been engaged in any economic activity but who now desires to have a job. (Subparagraph 1, Article 2, 「Act on the Promotion of the Economic Activities of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, etc.」)
- The government shall make efforts to create jobs such as employment and start-ups suitable for the age, career, educational background, etc. of women whose career has been interrupted, and the Minister of Gender Equality and Family and the Minister of Employment and Labor shall establish and implement policies to improve the working environment, such as narrowing the gender wage gap, in order to improve the quality of jobs for women. (Article 10(2), 「Act on the Promotion of the Economic Activities of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, etc.」)
Support to prevent career interruption
Policy support to prevent interruptions in the career of female workers
- The Minister of Gender Equality and Family and the Minister of Employment and Labor may support the following organizations to provide counseling for the design and development of women’s careers by life cycle in order to promote women's economic activity and prevent career interruptions. (Article 12, 「Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」 and Article 2, Enforcement Regulation of the 「Enforcement Rule of the Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」)
· Women Human Resources Development Center
· Career Interrupted Women Support Center
· Schools under Article 2 of the 「Higher Education Act」
Re-employment support for women whose career has been interrupted
Vocational education and training
- The Minister of Gender Equality and Family and the Minister of Employment and Labor may designate and operate a career-interrupted women support center to perform projects necessary for promoting the economic activities of women whose career has been interrupted. (Article 13(1), 「Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」)
- The head of a local government may conduct vocational education and training tailored to the characteristics of the region in order to promote the economic activities of women whose career has been interrupted, etc. In this case, the Minister of Gender Equality and Family and the Minister of Employment and Labor may provide all necessary support for vocational education and training conducted by local governments. (Article 13(2) and (3), 「Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」)
Intern employment support
- The Minister of Gender Equality and Family may implement intern employment support programs for companies, etc. to help women whose career has been interrupted adapt to their jobs. (Article 14(1), 「Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」)
- The Minister of Gender Equality and Family may provide all necessary support for work experience support projects conducted by local governments, and may prepare and support policies designed to provide work experience and employment connections. (Article 14(2) and (3), 「Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」)
Designation and Operation of the Women's Economic Activity Support Center
Women's Economic Activity Support Center (Women's Saeil Center)
- Both the Minister of Gender Equality and Family and the Minister of Employment and Labor may designate and operate the Women's Economic Activity Support Center (hereinafter referred to as the "Support Center") at the level of the Special Metropolitan City, Metropolitan City, Special Self-Governing City, Do,Special Self-Governing Province, or Si/Gun/Gu (a Gu refers to an autonomous county) to perform the following projects necessary for preventing career interruptions and promoting the economic activities of women. (Article 17(1), 「Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」)
- The Women's Economic Activity Support Center performs the following tasks.
· Consultations, provision of information, and career management concerning marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, and return to work for women whose career has been interrupted, etc.
· Support for career interruption prevention programs such as career development education, mentoring, and network formation by life cycle for women whose career has been interrupted.
· Provision of employment and start-up information and consultation.
· Vocational education and training, job placements, and post-employment adjustment support.
· Provision and linkage of welfare services such as childcare support.
· Establishment and operation of regional networks with related organizations and companies to promote women's economic activity and prevent career interruption.
· Other projects necessary to promote women's economic activity and prevent career interruption.
- The Minister of Gender Equality and Family and the Minister of Employment and Labor may designate and operate the Central Women's Economic Activity Support Center to perform the following tasks in order to support the policies and business of the Support Center efficiently and systematically so as to prevent interruptions of women's careers and promote their economic activities. (Article 16(1) and (2), 「Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」)
· Development and dissemination of business programs such as counseling and education on the prevention of career interruptions.
· Public relations activities and projects designed to raise social and cultural awareness concerning the prevention of career interruptions.
· Development and dissemination of business programs such as counseling and education for employment and start-up support.
· Development and dissemination of programs to assist career interrupted women with early adaptation to the workplace, etc.
· Establishment and operation of a nationwide network with related organizations and companies to promote women's economic activity and prevent career interruptions.
· Evaluation of and consulting for the Women's Economic Activity Support Center.
· Education and training for the workforce of the Women's Economic Activity Support Center and work environment survey.
· Discovery and promotion of the best practices related to projects under each subparagraph of Article 17(1) of the 「Act on The Promotion of the Economic Activities Of Women Whose Career Has Been Interrupted, Etc.」
- The Women's Saeil Center is an organization that provides comprehensive employment services such as employment counseling, vocational education and training, internships, and post-employment management to women whose careers have been interrupted due to marriage, pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, etc. It is co-managed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. <Source: Refer to the website of the Ministry of Employment and Labor>
※ Various policy activities to prevent interruptions in the careers of female workers can be found at <Career Interruption Prevention at the Women's Saeil Center>.