Eunpyeong-gu Office faces labor contract dispute at Episode Cafe

A controversy has emerged regarding labor contracts at ‘Eunpyeong Episode,’ a public cafe operated by the Eunpyeong-gu Office to provide jobs for youth transitioning out of foster care. The dispute arose in the Eunpyeong-gu Council when it was noted that employment contracts listed working hours from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM (13 hours), despite actual shifts ranging from 4 to 8 hours. Additionally, the contract period was set at 11 months, which is just short of the one-year threshold required for severance pay.

Eunpyeong-gu Council members criticized the practice, while the district office argued that the 13-hour window represented the cafe’s total operating hours rather than individual shifts. The district office maintained that actual working hours were managed via separate schedules and digital attendance records.

In response to concerns regarding potential violations of the Labor Standards Act—specifically the failure to clearly specify individual working hours in writing—the Eunpyeong-gu Office has committed to correcting the contract format. New recruitment notices have already extended contract terms to 12 months and explicitly include severance pay provisions.