South KoreaI'm a non-regular worker being discriminated against.
South Korean law prohibits discrimination against non-regular workers and requires equal treatment in wages, working conditions, and benefits compared to regular workers performing the same or similar work.
What the Law Says
South Korean law explicitly protects non-regular workers — including fixed-term, part-time, and dispatched workers — from unfair discrimination relative to regular workers doing the same or substantially similar work.
The Act on Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Workers (Act No. 8496) prohibits employers from treating fixed-term or part-time workers unfavorably compared to regular workers without justifiable reasons. This includes wages, bonuses, welfare benefits, training opportunities, and promotion chances.
Under the same Act, if a fixed-term or part-time worker performs the 'same or similar work' as a regular worker — assessed by job duties, responsibilities, skills, and working conditions — they must receive 'equal treatment' unless objective, reasonable grounds exist for differentiation.
The Labor Standards Act (Act No. 13651) reinforces this principle: Article 6(1) states that 'no employer shall discriminate against employees on the grounds of gender, religion, social status, nationality, or other reasons not related to ability or performance.' Courts and enforcement agencies interpret 'other reasons' to include employment type (e.g., non-regular vs. regular).
Statutory TextAn employer shall not treat a fixed-term or part-time worker unfavorably compared to a regular worker who performs the same or similar work, without justifiable grounds.
— Act on Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Workers, s. 4 — Prohibition of Unfavorable Treatment
Statutory TextWhere a fixed-term or part-time worker performs the same or similar work as a regular worker, the employer shall provide equal treatment in terms of wages, bonuses, welfare benefits, education and training, and other working conditions.
— Act on Protection of Fixed-Term and Part-Time Workers, s. 5 — Equal Treatment Obligation
Statutory TextNo employer shall discriminate against employees on the grounds of gender, religion, social status, nationality, or other reasons not related to ability or performance.
— Labor Standards Act, s. 6(1) — Prohibition of Discrimination
What to Do
Document your job duties, hours, responsibilities, and all differences in treatment (e.g., lower pay, no bonus, exclusion from training) versus regular coworkers doing similar work.
File a complaint with the local Labor Office (Ministry of Employment and Labor) within 30 days of the discriminatory act.
Request labor dispute mediation — free and confidential — through the Korea Labor Welfare Public Corporation (Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Service).
If unresolved, file a petition for relief with the Labor Relations Commission within 1 year of the violation.
Seek legal support: Non-regular workers may qualify for free legal aid via the Korea Legal Aid Corporation (KLAC).
Sources
Not legal advice. This article is general information based on publicly available sources, written for educational purposes. Laws change and individual situations vary. Consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before acting on anything you read here. Last reviewed: 2026-06-08.