2026 Chuseok Holiday Pay Calculation Rules

At workplaces with at least five regular employees, work performed during September 24–26, 2026 is subject to premium pay for holiday work. For salaried employees, additional pay is calculated starting at 1.5 times the ordinary hourly wage. After confirming the payment date, check the period for filing a petition regarding unpaid wages through the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s Labor Portal.

As of September 2026

Procedure for Calculating Chuseok Holiday Work Pay

First determine whether the day is a holiday and confirm the size of the workplace. Then compare the ordinary hourly wage with the hours actually worked. It is also advisable to record the regular wage payment date.

1. Check the dates worked. Use the work schedule to confirm whether you worked during the 2026 Chuseok holiday period of September 24–26.
2. Check the number of regular employees. Use the number of regular employees calculated under the law, not the number of employees who came to work on the holiday.
3. Distinguish the type of wage. The paid-holiday portion already included may differ between salaried and hourly employees.
4. Separate the hours actually worked. Excluding break time, distinguish work of up to 8 hours from work exceeding 8 hours.
5. Mark nighttime hours separately. Separately total the hours from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day.
6. Compare the wage statement with the calculation results. If any amount is unpaid, first ask the workplace for the basis of its calculation.
7. If the unpaid wages are not resolved, check the petition procedure. Use the civil petition application menu on the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s Labor Portal or contact the competent labor office.

The limitation period and starting point for unpaid wage claims must be checked under the Labor Standards Act and Ministry of Employment and Labor guidance. This does not mean that waiting is recommended. If a discrepancy is identified, preserve the supporting materials first.

Scope of Paid Holidays for Chuseok 2026

The 2026 Chuseok holiday period runs from September 24 through 26. The day before Chuseok, Chuseok itself, and the following day fall within the scope of public holidays. Paid-holiday provisions apply to workplaces with at least five regular employees.

September 26 is a Saturday. A substitute public holiday does not arise merely because the holiday overlaps with a Saturday. If the rules of employment or a collective agreement provide more favorable terms, those standards apply.

Summary of Conditions for Workplaces with at Least 5 and Fewer Than 5 Employees

The number of regular employees is the key condition determining whether holiday-work premiums apply. You must not count only the employees who reported to work on the holiday. The period and method for calculating the number of regular employees must be checked under the Labor Standards Act and its subordinate statutes and Ministry of Employment and Labor guidance.

Having fewer than five employees does not eliminate wages for work performed. The agreed wages for the hours actually worked must be paid. If the contract promises a holiday premium, that agreement must also be checked.

The number of regular employees does not include only permanent employees. Fixed-term and part-time employees may also be included in the calculation. The exact calculation is determined in accordance with Article 7-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Labor Standards Act.

Comparison of Salaried, Hourly, and Short-Term Employees

The biggest difference between salaried and hourly employees is whether the base paid-holiday portion is included. For salaried employees, wages for the holiday are generally included in the monthly salary. For hourly employees, the paid-holiday portion may need to be added separately.

Being described as hired only for the holiday period is not the determining factor. The first question is whether the person is an employee under the Labor Standards Act. The contract period and working days stated in the employment contract must also be checked.

For daily-wage employees, the daily wage must be recalculated as an hourly wage. Check how many working hours the daily wage is based on. Whether meal or transportation allowances are included in ordinary wages depends on the conditions of payment.

Formulas for Work of Up to and Over 8 Hours

At workplaces with at least five regular employees, the premium rate changes based on 8 hours per day. Here, W is the ordinary hourly wage. Break time is excluded from the hours actually worked.

Hourly employees may be entitled to a base paid-holiday portion in addition to pay for the work actually performed. First check whether the day was a prescribed working day. The hours for the paid-holiday portion are based on the originally scheduled prescribed working hours.

The night-work premium may overlap with the holiday-work premium. Nighttime hours run from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day. This statutory premium obligation does not apply to workplaces with fewer than five employees.

Calculation Example

Assume that a salaried employee worked 10 hours on a holiday. Assume that actual break time has already been excluded. Also assume that the final hour was night work performed after 10 p.m.

1. Holiday work of up to 8 hours is 8 hours × W × 1.5 = 12W.
2. The 2 hours exceeding 8 hours are 2 hours × W × 2.0 = 4W.
3. One nighttime hour is 1 hour × W × 0.5 = 0.5W.
4. The additional amount payable beyond the monthly salary is calculated based on the ordinary hourly wage and hours actually worked, but the premium calculation method must be checked under the Labor Standards Act and Ministry of Employment and Labor guidance.

The calculation differs for an hourly employee whose originally prescribed working hours were 8 hours. The base paid-holiday portion of 8W must be reviewed separately. The total amount to be reviewed under the same conditions must be calculated after checking whether the base paid-holiday portion is included and how the premium is calculated under the Labor Standards Act and Ministry of Employment and Labor guidance.

This example uses the ordinary hourly wage as a variable. The actual amount depends on the ordinary-wage items listed on the wage statement. If there is an inclusive wage agreement, compare the allowances included with any shortfall.

Comparison of Holiday Substitution and Compensatory Leave

Holiday substitution is a system that swaps the original holiday with another working day. Compensatory leave is a system that compensates with paid leave for premium wages that have already accrued. Both systems require a written agreement with the employee representative.

The employee representative is not someone unilaterally designated by the employer. If there is a labor union organized by a majority of the employees, that labor union serves as the representative. If there is no labor union, the representative must be a person representing a majority of the employees.

If the holiday substitution is valid, the original Chuseok date becomes an ordinary working day. However, any overtime or night work is subject to the applicable premiums separately. An individual’s verbal consent is unlikely to satisfy the written-agreement requirement.

Common Mistakes and Supporting Materials

The most common mistake is applying the 1.5 multiplier to every employee. The workplace size and type of wage must be checked first. Another common error is counting break time as working time.

• Determining that a workplace has fewer than five employees based only on the number who reported to work on the holiday
• Adding again a base paid-holiday portion already included in the monthly salary
• Omitting the base paid-holiday portion for an hourly employee
• Applying only the 1.5 multiplier to the portion exceeding 8 hours
• Omitting the night-work premium for work after 10 p.m.
• Assuming that every holiday overlapping with a Saturday becomes a substitute public holiday
• Assuming that holiday substitution is complete based only on a verbal agreement
• Failing to calculate an actual shortfall merely because there is an inclusive wage arrangement

To prepare for a dispute, you need materials proving that the work was performed. Keep both company system records and personal records. Verification is easier when different materials indicate the same hours.

• Employment contract and wage terms
• September 2026 work schedule and shift schedule
• Attendance records and work-system access logs
• Wage statements and bank deposit records
• Written agreement with the employee representative regarding holiday substitution
• Materials showing the workplace’s staffing levels

Checking Unpaid Allowances and Filing a Petition

As a rule, allowances should be checked on the agreed regular wage payment date. The deadline for paying wages after termination must be checked under the Labor Standards Act and Ministry of Employment and Labor guidance, together with whether there is a special agreement. If unpaid wages are suspected, request a written calculation breakdown.

1. Prepare a calculation sheet containing the ordinary hourly wage and hours worked.
2. Attach the employment contract and work records.
3. Ask the workplace why the amount was omitted and when it is scheduled to be paid.
4. If the issue is not resolved, access the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s Labor Portal.
5. Check the path Civil Petition Application > Labor Standards Petitions > Unpaid Wage Petition.
6. If online submission is difficult, visit the competent regional employment and labor office.

The limitation period for an unpaid wage claim may expire three years after the payment date. Keep the original materials separately even before filing a petition. It is also advisable not to delete messages exchanged with the employer.

Where to Check Official Regulations

The official standards can be found in Articles 11 and 55 through 57 of the Labor Standards Act. For calculation of the number of regular employees, check Article 7-2 of the Enforcement Decree of the Labor Standards Act. The scope of public holidays is set out in the Regulations on Public Holidays for Government Offices.

The official statutory language can be checked article by article through the Korean Law Information Center. The procedure for filing an unpaid wage petition is available through the Ministry of Employment and Labor’s Labor Portal. For determinations based on an individual contract, guidance is available from the competent labor office.