From ”unpaid labor” to power harassment... Freelancers not receiving their wages = Korean reports

"For most workers, it's not often that wages go unpaid in their lifetime. But for freelancers, it's a daily occurrence."
On the 18th, in the main meeting room of the Economic, Social and Labor Committee, a social dialogue organization under the President.
Around 20 representatives met with Kim Moon-soo, chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Committee, where the freelancers shared their experiences and struggles.
One freelancer said that it was common for them to not receive the money they had earned from work.
Due to the nature of the work, the amount of compensation is decided for each project, but after the project is completed, costs are often cut because it is "not what we had in mind."
"I drew an illustration and submitted it. But it turned out to be different from what the client expected. So they cut half of my fee. I think this is an 'accrued debt'."
But I can't tell anyone about this because I have to get another job next time. I wasn't completely cheated out of my job, but that doesn't mean I can't accept it completely.
"We live in an everyday world where we can't even say that we've done anything." (Freelancer A) "Unpaid wages are on the rise and have become a social problem.
"I think the amount that we are unable to receive is even more than this. There has not even been an investigation into the actual situation." (Freelancer B)
The Yun Seok-yeol administration emphasized the rule of law in labor-management relations and addressed unpaid wages.
However, this does not apply to freelancers because the money they receive is not a "wage."
This is because freelancers are not "employees." Wages and employees are legal concepts. Most freelancers are not recognized as employees under current labor laws.
They are not protected by labor laws. This is probably why freelancer A called the money he did not receive "unpaid wages."
Several people also shared stories about "unpaid labor." I prepared a lecture, but there were not many participants and it was canceled.
He said that he was unable to receive his compensation because he was a cell phone user. Some places will give you 50% of the compensation amount as a deposit, but most do not.
Mr. C, a Lancer, said, "For the speakers, the time they spend preparing for their talks is no different from working." There were also reports of power harassment. After the event, he was forced to
The pain experienced by freelancers goes beyond simply not receiving compensation for their work.
The government is expanding the scope of employment insurance to ensure the job security of artists, but there are also concerns about its limitations. A freelancer, D, said, "Even after completing their work, artists still receive royalties, so they have no income.
"Even if you are clearly not working, if you receive an income, you will legally be considered a working person," he said.
Some people said that it is difficult to prove that you are unemployed. The essence of the problem lies in labor law. The reason why many freelancers experience hardship is that the people who work are
This is because the term "workers' compensation" has no legal standing at all. This issue has not been raised recently. On the 15th, at a forum hosted by the Korea Labor Institute, Kwon Kwon, a professor at Busan National University's Graduate School of Law,
Professor Hyuk said, "Labour law legislators must be extremely diligent because the labour market is changing rapidly. Changing labour markets mean that social protection is needed.
This means that the time and place of need change. If the status and content of protection do not change each time, it will be unnecessarily excessive for some people, and necessary but in a blind spot for others.
Regarding specialized employment such as freelancers, Professor Kwon said, "How do those who receive the benefits and profits from platform labor share and distribute them among workers?
"There needs to be social consensus on how to distribute the burden in a reasonable manner," Professor Kwon said. "As the concept of a worker changes from its past form, the state needs to listen to the opinions of many employers and workers and
"The government must allocate the necessary funds in a reasonable manner," he said. On the other hand, the lack of a government office to receive complaints from freelancers is something that needs to be resolved as soon as possible.
Freelancers pointed out that each government ministry is just saying that it is not their job. Kim Moon-soo, chairman of the Economic, Social and Labor Committee, said, "The government should be the one to handle the problems of freelancers.
We need to accept sympathy," he said.