Unpaid wages or closure: preparing work history after an unavoidable job change

If unpaid wages, violence or business closure forced a job change, separate the former and current employment periods, actual reason and supporting records. The Ministry of Justice announced special service-period treatment in June 2026 for unavoidable changes not attributable to the worker. Do not assume all earlier service disappears simply because employers changed.

What does the improvement address?

The announcement describes recognition of former-employer service in specified company-recommendation and current-workplace service-bonus requirements. It expressly extends the improvement to E-7-4R.

This does not mean every period in every job change is automatically combined without evidence. Total residence, employer-specific service and service for a particular bonus are different measures.

Prepare a timeline

Stage	Facts	Supporting records
Former employer	Company, site, start and last working date	Service, pay and employment records
Problem	When it arose and what happened	Relevant messages, payment or confirmation
Change	Leaving, procedure and new start dates	Application, permission and company records
Current job	Start and actual duties	Current contract and work confirmation
Questions	Date differences or unexplained gaps	Issuer or responsible contact

Mark uncertainty instead of inventing dates. Distinguish employer documents, personal records and public-institution confirmation.

Explain the reason precisely

Describe what happened, when and how the move occurred. For a payment issue, identify the period and available payment records. For closure, list relevant business or institutional evidence.

For sensitive events, first identify the evidence and appropriate submission route rather than putting every detail in an initial message. If an institution issued confirmation, record its name, date and title. Do not alter events to make documents appear consistent.

Fictional example: moving after a company closes

A fictional worker moves after closure. Record the last working date, when closure became known, the actual change process and the new start separately.

The new starting date alone hides the earlier service and reason. Combining all previous service as employment at the current company would be inaccurate. Preserve both employers' records and connect them to the relevant review.

Recognition is not the workplace-change procedure

Whether earlier service can be recognised and whether required change or reporting procedures were completed are different questions. Special service treatment does not mark an unfinished workplace procedure as exempt.

Provide current status, previous permission or reporting records and actual work facts. Do not copy another worker's experience into your case.

Make the review request concrete

“I worked at ○○ during ○○ and changed employer because of ○○. I joined my current employer on ○○. My available records are ○○. Please identify which periods and evidence should be reviewed under the 2026 special treatment.”

Record periods under review, additional evidence and responsible institutions. Update present information without deleting the true earlier history.

Turn the preparation into your next step

GEA employment and preparation consultation

GEA handles employment counselling and employment connections. Visa and residence administration is handled by its partner, Now Together Administrative Agent Office.

Official sources: 법무부 2026년 6월 제도 개선 · 경기도 2026-5708 추천계획 변경 공고

Prepared by GEA · Sources checked: 24 October 2026