Article 26 (Employment Promotion Allowance)

The Minister of Employment and Labor shall pay an employment promotion allowance to employers who have hired as insured persons those who are unemployed and fall under any of the following subparagraphs, and have registered as job seekers with a public employment security office or other institutions designated by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (hereinafter referred to as "public employment security offices, etc.") for the purpose of promoting employment of persons who are particularly difficult to find employment under the usual labor market conditions, such as the disabled and female heads of households, pursuant to Article 23 of this Act. <Amended by Act No. 12356, Jan. 13, 2012; Act No. 12372, Jan. 25, 2013; Act No. 14525, Dec. 30, 2016; Act No. 16510, Jul. 2, 2019; Act No. 17315, Jun. 9, 2020; Act No. 17793, Jun. 8, 2021; Act No. 18417, Jun. 25, 2024> 1. Persons who have completed an employment support program targeting persons who are particularly difficult to find employment under the usual labor market conditions, as publicly announced by the Minister of Employment and Labor. 2. Severely disabled persons as defined in Article 2 (2) of the 「Act on the Promotion of Employment and Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities」 who have been unemployed for one month or longer. 3. Unemployed women who have the responsibility of supporting a family, as prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, and who are eligible for employment support recipients under the main clause of Article 11 (2) of the 「Enforcement Decree of the National Basic Livelihood Security Act」 or recipients of support under Articles 5 and 5-2 of the 「Support for Single-Parent Families Act」, and who have been unemployed for one month or longer. 4. Omitted <by Act No. 18417, Jun. 25, 2024> 5. Unemployed persons who do not meet the requirements under subparagraphs 1 through 3, but for whom the Minister of Employment and Labor recognizes that employment promotion measures are necessary due to a surge in unemployment or other worsening employment conditions.

An employment promotion allowance shall not be paid in cases falling under any of the following subparagraphs. <Amended by Act No. 12356, Jan. 13, 2012; Act No. 12372, Jan. 25, 2013; Act No. 14525, Dec. 30, 2016; Act No. 16138, Dec. 31, 2018; Act No. 17150, Mar. 31, 2020; Act No. 17994, Jun. 28, 2022; Act No. 18579, Dec. 24, 2024; Act No. 18766, May 6, 2026> 1. When employing a person who falls under cases prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, such as a person with a short-term employment contract. 2. Omitted <by Act No. 12372, Jan. 25, 2013> 3. When a large enterprise employs an unemployed person aged 29 or younger, as determined by the Minister of Employment and Labor. 4. When an employer dismisses employees (excluding employees hired later than the employment promotion allowance beneficiary) due to employment adjustment within three months prior to hiring a person eligible for the employment promotion allowance and up to one year after hiring (in cases where the employment period of the employment promotion allowance beneficiary is less than one year, until the termination of the employment relationship). 5. When the employer who hired the employment promotion allowance beneficiary is the same as the employer at the time of the employee's separation (limited to cases where the employee separated within one year prior to being hired by the employer. The same shall apply hereinafter in subparagraph 6). However, this shall not apply in cases falling under any of the following: a. When the employer has preferentially hired the employee pursuant to Article 25 (1) of the 「Labor Standards Act」. b. When the employer has re-hired an employee who was employed as a temporary worker by concluding a permanent employment contract. 6. When the employer who hired the employment promotion allowance beneficiary is the same as the employer at the time of the employee's separation, such as in cases of merger or business transfer, and falls under cases prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Employment and Labor. 7. When the employer has outstanding wages or other payments and their name is being publicly disclosed pursuant to Article 43-2 of the 「Labor Standards Act」, or has been designated as a habitual violator of wage payment pursuant to Article 43-4 of the same Act. 8. When an employer who has failed to fulfill their disability employment obligation under Article 28 of the 「Act on the Promotion of Employment and Vocational Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities」 newly hires a disabled person as defined in Article 2 (1) of the same Act (excluding severely disabled persons as defined in Article 2 (2) of the same Act) before fulfilling their disability employment obligation. 9. In other cases where the target or industry is designated and publicly announced by the Minister of Employment and Labor as not conforming to the purpose of support under Article 23 of this Act.

Omitted <by Act No. 18071, Dec. 6, 2022>

The application period for the employment promotion allowance and other matters necessary for application and payment shall be prescribed by the Ordinance of the Ministry of Employment and Labor. <Amended by Act No. 12356, Jan. 13, 2012; Act No. 14525, Dec. 30, 2016; Act No. 17994, Jun. 28, 2022>