It has been confirmed that Homeplus, a large supermarket chain undergoing rehabilitation proceedings, has eased its ban on employees holding concurrent jobs. The company exceptionally permitted concurrent employment as the financial strain led to an increase in long-term leave takers and delays in salary payments, thereby increasing the livelihood burden on employees.
According to industry sources on the 29th, Homeplus recently established criteria for easing regulations prohibiting employees from holding concurrent jobs. While existing work rules completely banned concurrent employment, the core of the new measure is to temporarily allow concurrent employment until the company is normalized.
The Homeplus labor union has been demanding the easing of the ban on concurrent employment and the establishment of livelihood support measures to assist employees since operations at 37 large supermarket branches were suspended in May last month.
Those eligible for concurrent employment are employees belonging to Homeplus stores. Employees wishing to hold a side job will individually find employment and then notify the company. However, because employees working regular shifts at stores face constraints such as working hours, it is expected that applications for concurrent employment will initially increase among employees currently on leave.
Permitted industries for concurrent employment include convenience stores, food ingredient marts, and local small-to-medium-sized marts, while work in other industries outside of retail is also allowed. Conversely, employment at competitors such as E-Mart, Lotte Mart, Hanaro Mart, Traders, and Costco, as well as SSMs (supermarket chains), is restricted. Working for tenants within Homeplus stores is also not permitted. The company explained that this decision was made considering issues such as leakage of confidential information, conflicts of interest related to tenants, and liability in the event of industrial accidents.
This measure is interpreted as a desperate effort to maintain employees' livelihoods amid delays in the payment of wages and bonuses. Homeplus had planned to pay July salaries, which were unpaid for two months, on the 21st last month, but changed the schedule to split payments between the 23rd and the 30th. Payment of the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) bonus was also delayed. Although labor and management agreed to pay the bonus in installments over six months, the first installment scheduled for payment on the 18th last month was not paid.
The timing for employees on leave to return to work remains undetermined. The labor union is demanding that 70% of the total workforce report for duty, but it is understood that the number of employees attending work has not increased.
Labor and management have differing outlooks regarding employee movements following the allowance of concurrent employment. The labor union believes that if long-term leave and salary payment delays continue, more employees will take on side jobs or change their primary employment. On the other hand, the company expects that many employees will not pursue concurrent employment due to realistic constraints.
A labor union official said, "Many employees are waiting for the company's normalization," while adding, "If the situation is prolonged, more employees may take on side jobs, and some may even move to other companies entirely."
A Homeplus official stated, "There will not be many employees taking on concurrent jobs due to realistic constraints, such as already having a primary job and working conditions that make it difficult to balance with an existing position."
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