Businesses encouraging workers to use holidays for extended vacations

Published : Apr 12, 2017 - 10:36 Updated : Apr 12, 2017 - 10:36

A number of big companies are encouraging their employees to use their vacation days in early May to connect with holidays, which would give them up to nine days off, corporate officials said Wednesday.

Hanwha Group officials said the conglomerate has made May 2 and 4 collective vacation days at most of the affiliates. With two weekends and three holidays amid the two days, employees will be free from work for nine days. May 1 (Monday) is Labor Day, and May 3 is Buddha's Birthday. May 5 is celebrated in South Korea as Children's Day.

Hanwha officials said employees of finance affiliates and resorts will be exceptions.

(Yonhap)

Hyosung Group notified its staff in early December that it will apply collective vacation during the period so that the employees can make plans ahead of time. The conglomerate said the same system will be used throughout the year to link holidays with vacation days.

Samsung Electronics adopted "cultural innovations" last year for its workers to choose their vacations more freely.

"We encourage our workers to plan their yearly vacations and use the available days according to the plan," a company official said.

Chip plants, however, because they have to stay in operation year round, will keep their work shifts. SK hynix said it too is keeping its chip manufacturing lines in operation.

LG Group left the decisions up to its affiliates, with recommendations that vacations be taken on condition that necessary tasks are promptly handled. LG Display said it is adding May 8 as a recommended vacation day. This would extend the vacation period to 11 days by including May 9, designated as a temporary holiday because of the presidential election.

S-Oil is giving only May 4 as a collective vacation day, giving its workers a five-day vacation.

Hyundai Motor said it will run its manufacturing lines at full operation, except for holidays, and won't provide extra vacation time. (Yonhap)