In order to prevent the overwork of the courier, whose workload has increased rapidly due to the Corona 19 incident, a plan to set a daily working time limit is being promoted.



In addition, the courier can also work 5 days a week to induce sufficient break time.



Minister of Employment and Labor Lee Jae-gap and Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Kim Hyun-mi and the Minister of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs announced on the 12th, “Measures to Prevent Overwork by Delivery Engineers,” including these details.



In the wake of the Corona 19 crisis, the government has hurried to take countermeasures after the deaths of courier drivers that are believed to have been overworked this year.



● Review



of

blocking work apps after 10:00 pm

Minister Lee said, "We will set the maximum working time per day according to the situation and induce work within that limit."



To this end, the government plans to establish a standard for appropriate working hours through surveys and job analysis on the working conditions of courier drivers.



The appropriate working time may vary depending on the conditions such as automation equipment for each courier.



Most of the courier drivers are in the status of private businesses, and they are specially hired (special high school) workers who work under consignment contracts with courier companies or agencies.



Special notices are exposed to the risk of working long hours because the Labor Standards Act, which restricts working hours, is not applied.



The government is planning to recommend restricting late-night delivery after 10 pm for weekly couriers.



It means that 10 pm is set as the delivery deadline, and if late-night delivery continues, the work system is adjusted to maintain an appropriate working time.



From 10:00 PM, we are also considering blocking work apps.



In addition, we decided to induce the spread of the 5-day work week system by introducing a Saturday holiday system for courier drivers through labor-management consultation, taking into account the delivery volume of each delivery company.



We plan to reduce the work burden by clarifying and subdividing the parcel service classification work, which is pointed out as the cause of the courier's heavy workload, by collecting opinions from labor and management.



Courier operators claim that sorting is not their natural job, but courier companies consider it part of the delivery business, so opinions are in conflict.




● Improvement of



Courier and Dealership Practices Measures are also being implemented to improve unfair practices such as courier service and agency handling of courier drivers.



Minister Kim Hyun-mi said, "We will investigate the unfair practices of large shippers, such as home shopping, which cause a drop in courier service fees, and make necessary improvements."



As of last year, the delivery fee for couriers stayed at 800 won per case.



As shipping fees fall, couriers have to deliver more to maintain income.



The government has initiated an investigation into the so-called'back-margin' practices of large shippers that lower shipping fees, and decided to come up with measures to improve them.



Baek Margin is a kind of rebate paid to large shippers by couriers, which is about 600 won per shipment.



We will also review measures to ban penalties imposed by the agency to courier drivers if they are unfair.



In the first half of next year, the government plans to expand distribution by preparing standard contracts that include the proper working hours for courier operators, restrictions on late-night delivery, classification work standards, and prohibition of mischief as a requirement for recognition of courier operators.



● Penalties for



courier drivers who are

forced to apply for exclusion

from workers' compensation insurance There is also a plan to expand the coverage of workers' compensation insurance.



According to the current laws and regulations, courier drivers belong to 14 special job categories that are subject to industrial accident insurance, but they are excluded from application if they apply.



In this process, pressure from agent owners to avoid the burden of insurance premiums often comes into play.



Some agencies have also raised suspicion of ghostwriting the application.



The Ministry of Labor plans to take measures such as cancellation of the exclusion if it is found to violate the law, such as forgery or forgery, after a thorough investigation of about 16,000 courier drivers who applied for exclusion from industrial accident insurance coverage.



Furthermore, we decided to improve the related system by requiring the applicant to submit the application for exemption from industrial accident insurance by himself/herself, and by establishing a new penalty clause for compulsory exclusion from application.



In addition, the government will review plans to impose the obligation to carry out health checkups for courier drivers at dealerships and improve the system to adjust working hours if there is a risk of brain or cardiovascular disease of courier drivers.



(Photo = Yonhap News)