□ Project for Advancement of Civil Rights of Female Emotional Labor Workers
Emotion work or emotional labor refers to a type of labor over 40% of which involves
control of emotions in order to present or maintain job-specific emotional conditions and
includes nurses, call center representatives, cashiers, or salespersons who provide
person-to-person services. These workers are often helplessly exposed to insult and
humiliation in the form of verbal abuse and disrespectful treatment of customers.
In recognition of their suffering, the Commission visited workplaces and union offices 8
times in April and May to conduct in-depth interviews with female emotional labor
workers and identify diverse civil rights violations they are suffering. Based on the
findings, it published the Employers’ Guide for Human Rights of Female Emotional Labor
Workers and launched a public campaign to raise awareness.
The guide proposes measures for employers to minimize psychological and physical
exertion of female emotional labor workers such as providing chairs or floor mattresses
and relieve them of work stresses resulting from emotional labor. In addition, with regard
to work process improvement, it presents standard guidelines to maintain consistency of
customer service standards, as well as measures to manage the work force with incentives
rather than penalty, offer self-help education, and expand their authorities and
responsibilities. In addition, it also suggests emergency suspension from duty when
workers experience verbal and physical abuse and implementing in-house counseling
office or employee complaint handling office.
The public campaign carried out under the title of “Good Consumers Make Female
Emotional Labor Workers Smile” consisted of a performance and a signature campaign
seeking pledges for respect and consideration of female emotional labor workers in
cooperation with the National Council of Green Consumer Networks on November 29th in
front of the council office. The Commission also conducted a consumer survey of 303
residents of Seoul and surrounding areas in October on the issue of female emotional labor
workers, distributed a leaflet on promotion of consumer awareness in November to the
Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations and its 10 member organizations, and
Chapter 4. Investigations and Remedies: Discriminatory Acts
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