Understanding dispatch work

Dispatch means being employed by company A while working at company B.

Three parties

• The dispatch employer — the company that employs you, primarily responsible for paying wages and enrolling you in the four insurances.
• The user company — where you actually work, responsible for directing the work and on-site safety.
• The dispatched worker — you.

When problems arise you must work out which side is responsible. That is hard to judge alone, so consult 1350.

What to know

• Dispatch is only permitted for legally specified occupations. Dispatching into other work is unlawful.
• There are limits on the dispatch period too.
• Where the dispatch is unlawful, the user company may be required to employ you directly.
• No discrimination — you must not be treated unreasonably worse than the user company's own workers doing the same job.
• Accidents happen at the site where you actually work, so the user company's safety responsibility is significant.

What to check

1. Whether your contract states it is dispatch work, and who the dispatch employer is.
2. Who pays your wages.
3. Whether you are enrolled in the four insurances — you can check with the pension and health insurance services.
4. Whether your work is an occupation where dispatch is permitted.

Where to go

• 1350 Ministry of Employment and Labour (with interpretation)
• Your local labour office
• 1588-0075 Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service
• 1577-0071 Foreign Workforce Support Centre
• Local migrant workers' support centres

Questions people ask

Who should pay my wages? In principle the dispatch employer who employs you. If they don't, file the wage complaint against them. In some cases the user company is also liable — check with 1350.

I was injured at work. Who do I tell? Tell both, and claim through 1588-0075. Secure site photos and witnesses.

They each blame the other. Consult 1350 and file with both companies' names and the contractual relationship written out. The authorities determine where responsibility lies.

They call it "service contracting" but I take direct instructions. Where form and substance differ, it can amount to unlawful dispatch. Gather records of the instructions (texts, work orders) and get advice. See subcontract-issues.

Take care

In dispatch and subcontracting structures, each side commonly blames the other after an accident. That is why recording who gave the instructions and which site you were at matters so much. Keep daily site photos and work orders.

Related

subcontract-issues · employment-contract · industrial-accident-basics · discrimination-report

Source

Ministry of Employment and Labour www.moel.go.kr / As of 2026-08