Two Philippine domestic workers have reportedly gone missing after failing to return to their jobs following the Chuseok holiday in South Korea. The workers, part of a pilot project aimed at alleviating childcare challenges and encouraging higher birth rates, arrived in Korea on August 6.
The two individuals left their accommodations on September 15, during the second day of the five-day Chuseok holiday, and were expected back by September 18. However, attempts by their job placement agency to contact them have been unsuccessful.
The agency plans to notify a regional labor office and the justice ministry about their unauthorized absence. If the workers remain unreachable, they could be classified as illegal immigrants.
The reasons behind their departure remain unclear. Some speculate that low wages, compared to the manufacturing sector, and concerns over potential layoffs after the short-term project may have influenced their decision. On September 2, each worker received approximately 2 million won ($1,492) as a training allowance, but after deductions, the take-home amount was around 1.47 million won.
The workers entered Korea as part of a six-month initiative by the Seoul city government to place foreign caregivers in households needing childcare support. Despite the absence of these two workers, the remaining 98 participants are reportedly fulfilling their duties.
The Seoul city government has expressed its commitment to enhancing working conditions for foreign caregivers, including discussions to shift from a monthly to a weekly payment system in collaboration with the labor ministry.
兩名菲律賓家庭幫手在韓國中秋假期後失聯
兩名菲律賓家庭幫手在韓國中秋假期後未能返回工作，據報導他們失聯。這兩名工人是於8月6日抵達韓國，參加一個旨在減輕育兒挑戰和鼓勵增加出生率的試點項目。
這兩名工人在9月15日中秋假期的第二天離開了他們的住宿，原定於9月18日返回。然而，他們的工作派遣機構嘗試聯繫他們卻未能成功。
該機構計劃通知地區勞工辦公室和司法部有關他們的未經授權缺席。如果這些工人仍然無法聯繫上，他們可能會被歸類為非法移民。
至於他們離開的原因仍不清楚。有些人推測，低於製造業的工資以及對短期項目後可能裁員的擔憂可能影響了他們的決定。9月2日，每名工人獲得了約200萬韓元（1,492美元）的培訓津貼，但扣除後的實際收入約為147萬韓元。
這些工人作為首爾市政府的一項六個月計劃的一部分進入韓國，該計劃旨在為需要育兒支持的家庭提供外籍看護人。儘管這兩名工人缺席，其餘98名參與者據報正在正常工作。
首爾市政府已表示將致力於改善外籍看護人的工作條件，包括與勞工部進行討論，將工資支付方式從每月改為每週。
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