Civil Servant Parental Leave Now Covers Children Up to Age 12 (Grade 6) -- Teachers Are Excluded and Infertility Leave Starts Six Months Later

Only the child age criterion changed

Previously, you needed a child aged 8 or younger, or in second grade of elementary school or lower. After the amendment, the criterion is a child aged 12 or younger, or in sixth grade of elementary school or lower. The government explained that it reflected the childcare demand that arises during the compulsory elementary years. Other rules such as the length or number of leaves were not changed by this amendment, so the rules you already know still apply.

In force from promulgation, so you can apply now

According to press reports, the amended law was promulgated on June 2 and the expanded age limit took effect immediately, with no grace period. General-service national and local public officials with children in grades 3 to 6 can therefore submit an application now. If you gave up on leave because your child was already past 8, it is worth checking again if the child is still in sixth grade or below. Confirm the exact application timing and documents with the personnel department of your own agency.

Teachers and education specialists are not covered yet

Teachers and education specialists are governed by the Educational Public Officials Act, not the National Public Officials Act. This amendment changed only the National and Local Public Officials Acts, so the child age criterion for educational public officials is unchanged. Reports say a Ministry of Education bill and bills from lawmakers are pending in the National Assembly's education committee, but I could not confirm that any has passed. General-service staff working at education offices and schools (administrative staff, librarians, IT staff and others) fall under the National and Local Public Officials Acts and were reported as covered by this expansion. If you are unsure which law applies to you, the quickest way is to ask your personnel department about your appointment category.

Infertility leave is created, but starts after six months

The same amendment created infertility leave as a separate ground for leave. A six-month grace period was set so that subordinate regulations can be prepared, so counting from promulgation it is expected to start around the end of this year. The exact start date will be fixed when the enforcement decree is promulgated, so it cannot be stated definitively. Reports say it lasts up to one year and can be extended by up to one more year, but this too may change once the subordinate regulations are finalized. Until it starts, officials who need time off for fertility treatment are directed to use sick leave as before.

Keep this separate from the private-sector system

Civil servant leave is set by the National Public Officials Act, while private-sector parental leave is set by the Equal Employment Act. The pay systems also differ. Private-sector workers receive parental leave benefits from employment insurance, but civil servants receive a leave allowance under the public officials' pay regulations. The private-sector benefit structure is covered in our guide to parental leave benefit caps by month, and a civil servant should not read that table as their own pay. For the allowance amount and how leave counts toward pay step and service record, ask your own agency.

Compare the options other than full leave

Even with the age limit raised to 12, many people find it hard to be away for months at a time. Reducing working hours is the alternative in that case. Though based on private-sector rules, reduced working hours for childcare run until the child is 12, for up to three years, and short-term parental leave of one to two weeks was created as a separate system. Whether the same systems apply to civil servants on the same terms is a separate question, so civil servants should check the conduct and service regulations that apply to them. For another family-related benefit, see our guide to the National Pension childbirth credit.

What to confirm before applying

First, confirm your child's age and grade. Meeting either "12 or younger" or "sixth grade or below" is enough. Second, confirm whether you are a general-service official or an educational public official. Third, ask your personnel department how much of the total leave period you have already used. Fourth, get the leave allowance, pay-step treatment and post-return working conditions in writing. Fifth, discuss the handover of your work with your department and then submit the application. The provisions are being made concrete through enforcement decrees and rules, so details may change.

Summary: general-service now, teachers waiting, infertility leave in six months

At a glance: the child age criterion of 12 (sixth grade) or younger is already in force for general-service national and local public officials, educational public officials must wait for the Educational Public Officials Act to change, and infertility leave starts after a six-month grace period. This post is general information summarizing reported content and does not decide any individual's leave eligibility or pay. Confirm actual eligibility and amounts with your agency's personnel department and the Ministry of Personnel Management guidance.