Increased turnover rate of quarantine workers-hygiene workers-quarantine workers
We can’t even fill the capacity… 45 to 79 vacancies every year
“It is urgent to secure the budget and make the head of the institution permanent and improve treatment”
Donghae-si, Gangwon-do, and quarantine officials are controlling the site. (Yonhap News)”/> news/cms/202411/15/news-p.v1.20241115.aacf3809381948869c95d58edcb5a38b_R.jpg" data-width="2835" data-height="1738" /> Enlarge photo On October 30, H5-type avian influenza (AI) antigen was confirmed at a laying hen farm in Donghae-si, Gangwon-do, and quarantine officials are controlling the site. (Yonhap News)
It was found that the turnover rate of employees in charge of livestock infectious disease prevention, emergency response, and livestock product hygiene and safety is increasing. It is pointed out that the poor working environment and treatment must be urgently improved compared to the importance of the work.
According to data submitted by Lim Mi-ae of the Democratic Party of Korea, a member of the National Assembly’s Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Oceans and Fisheries Committee, from the Livestock Sanitation and Quarantine Support Headquarters (Quarantine Headquarters), the employee turnover rate at the Quarantine Headquarters nearly doubled from 3.6% in 2019 to 6.8% last year.
By occupation, the turnover rate was high in key occupations within the quarantine headquarters, such as quarantine, hygiene, and quarantine positions. The turnover rate of quarantine workers increased from 4.2% in 2019 to 9.9% last year. Hygiene occupations increased more than fourfold from 1.3% to 5.5% during the same period. Quarantine positions fell from 7.1% in 2019 to 2.9% in 2022, but then rose again to 11.1% last year. On the other hand, the general employee turnover rate fell from 4.1% in 2019 to 1.9% in 2021, and it was reported that there were no people changing jobs last year or this year.
The problem is that the quarantine headquarters is unable to even fill its quota due to the rising turnover rate. The total number of employees at the quarantine headquarters is 1,286, but since 2019, the number has not exceeded 1,250 as of the end of each year. This means that 46 to 79 vacancies are created every year. Rep. Lim’s office points out that rising turnover rates and chronic vacancies could cause disruptions in the work of the quarantine headquarters, where expertise is important.
![Can’t even fill capacity…Quarantine staff turnover rate skyrockets [국회 방청석]](https://wimg.mk.co.kr/news/cms/202411/15/news-p.v1.20241115.3c5afe86e19e4fffaa6a01a66bfcd479_P1.png "Can’t even fill capacity…Quarantine staff turnover rate skyrockets [국회 방청석]")
news/cms/202411/15/news-p.v1.20241115.3c5afe86e19e4fffaa6a01a66bfcd479_R.png" data-width="1272" data-height="316" /> Enlarge photo Trends in turnover rate by occupation at the Livestock Sanitation and Quarantine Support Headquarters from 2019 to 2024 (Office of Rep. Lim Mi-ae)
This situation is analyzed as being due to the poor working environment and treatment compared to the importance of the work. Of the 1,286 employees at the quarantine headquarters, only 55, or 4.3%, are full-time employees. 1,231 people, or 95.7%, are on indefinite contracts.
Another problem with the quarantine headquarters is that the director, who is in charge of the agency, is part-time. Rep. Lim’s office emphasized that “the quarantine headquarters is a disaster management responsible organization under the Framework Act on Disaster and Safety,” and that “the head of the headquarters must remain in place at all times and give work instructions and commands, and sometimes must respond promptly, but since it is part-time, it is difficult to respond promptly on a regular basis.” .
Due to this problem, the quarantine headquarters also experienced a union strike in 2022. At the time, the Quarantine Headquarters, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the labor union formed a development consultative body and prepared 26 discussion items, but key issues such as permanent appointment of the head of the headquarters and improvement of treatment of public officials are still unresolved.
Rep. Lim Mi-ae said, “The government’s will and efforts to normalize the quarantine headquarters as an agency responsible for disaster management and the safety of the people’s food are important,” adding, “It is urgent to secure the budget to make the head of the agency permanent and improve the treatment of employees.” pointed out.
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