The government said Monday it will push for a plan to allow irregular and subcontract workers aged 35 or older to work for up to four years at the same workplace as part of efforts to improve their working conditions and dismantle discrimination against them.
   
Currently, the maximum employment period for irregular workers is two years.
   
In the measures reported to the trilateral commission of labor, management and government representatives, the labor ministry also said that it will consider permitting particular types of irregular workers, such as insurance agents, tutors and golf caddies, to subscribe to the employment insurance program. 
  
Also in consideration is a measure to gradually reduce the legally permitted work time of employees to 60 hours a week from the current 68 hours by including holiday work in statutory overtime.
   
Under the plan, companies will have to rehire workers that they been laid off due to financial problems when their management is normalized and present clear standards and procedures for dismissing low-performing workers.
   
Irregular and subcontract workers can receive retirement allowance if they work for at least three months for a company.

Currently, the minimum requirement for getting retirement allowance is one year.
   
The government also seeks to add workers aged 55 and over and high-paid professional workers to 32 types of workers permitted to land subcontract jobs.
   
The labor ministry said it will make a compromise plan after undergoing an intensive discussion with the two other parties in the trilateral commission until March.
   
The announcement followed the Economic and Social Development Commission's agreement last week to reform the rigid labor market in a future-oriented way with a focus on dismantling discrimination against irregular workers. 
   
The finance ministry earlier called for structural reforms to make the labor market more flexible as part of key economic policy plans for next year to improve national competitiveness and fuel growth. (Yonhap)