Seoul gov't abolishes nighttime curfew, restructures pay schedule for Filipino nannies

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday announced that it abolished nighttime curfews for Filipino nannies and would pay their salaries twice a month to improve their working and residential conditions.

A Filipino caregiver holds a baby at a home in Seoul in September. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday announced that it abolished nighttime curfews for Filipino nannies and would pay their salaries twice a month to improve their working and residential conditions.

The measures came after two Filipino nannies were arrested in Busan after disappearing from their jobs, and other Filipino caregivers raised labor and living-related grievances. A hundred Filipino nannies entered Korea in early August for a pilot program to resolve the work force void in child care and started working in Seoul in early September.

The Seoul city government said it revised the program and lifted the recommended night curfew, which instructed the caregivers to arrive at their residences by 10 p.m. every day.

Before lifting the curfew, the service providers connecting the nannies and serviced households were required to check the nannies’ return status daily.

On Sept. 24, the Filipino caregivers said the curfew was “too strict for adults” and demanded an alleviation of the measure during a discussion with the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Seoul city government. Under the new system with no curfew, nannies must notify their peer group leader in advance via text message or email if they are to sleep out on the weekend.

After amending employment contracts, the nannies can choose between receiving their income twice each month — on either the 10th or 20th of each month — or in a monthly lump-sum payment. Of the 98 active caregivers, 38 wanted the biweekly payroll system.

Filipino caregivers listen to remarks from Kim Sun-soon, head of Seoul Metropolitan Government's women and family office at a discussion held on Sept. 24 in Seoul. [NEWS1]

In addition, the city will work to lengthen their permitted stay from the current seven months to a maximum of three years. The measure is to relieve uncertainties in their employment and let diligent and dutiful caregivers work longer in Korea. The caregivers currently have an E-9 nonskilled workers visa.

Nannies who provide services to two or more families a day will also have workplace relocations, with the city authorities promising to consider the distance between the homes as a priority when assigning duties to shorten travel times.

Previously, caregivers were assigned their duties based on working hours regardless of travel time between households .

Regarding the two Filipino nannies who fled on Sept. 15 and were caught in Busan last Friday, the city government decided to abide by the Justice Ministry’s decision to evict them from Korea. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said it would strictly adhere to rules and principles when managing the stays and residence of foreign nannies.

The city also said it would strengthen cooperation with the Philippine embassy in Seoul. On Sept. 28, a Filipino labor officer from the embassy visited the nannies’ residence to stress the potential punishments nannies face for breaching Korean immigration law.

The service providers must also report to authorities when an unauthorized broker approaches the nannies. The firms will instruct the nannies to report contact with illegal brokers to authorities.

A hundred Filipino caregivers enter Korea on Aug. 7 at Incheon International Airport. [NEWS1]

“The new improvements reflect problems observed in the first month of the Filipino caregiver program,” Kim Sun-soon, head of the city’s women and family office, said.

“While giving autonomy to the Filipino nannies, the city will prevent them from dropping out or fleeing. It will also foster a labor environment where they could serve without inconvenience through a joint effort with relevant ministries and authorities.”

A total of 169 Seoul-based families are being serviced by 98 Filipino caregivers, with 60 percent of beneficiary households having two or more children and dual-income families, according to the Seoul city government on Sunday.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]