Health Screening Fines for Office Workers Imposed on Companies If Not Taken Within the Period

Introduction: Why Should Office Workers Get Their Health Screening Within the Specified Period?

Every year or every other year, everyone has probably received a health screening notification letter from the National Health Insurance Service. For office workers, this health screening—which must be taken once every two years for office workers and every year for non-office workers (such as field workers)—is not merely a recommendation, but a legal obligation under the National Health Insurance Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
However, when caught up in a busy daily routine, it is easy to put it off, thinking, “I’m a bit busy this year, so I’ll just take it all next year,” or “I’ll book an appointment when I have some free time later.” In fact, every second half of the year, especially in November and December, you can easily see office workers stamping their feet in anxiety as reservations surge at every hospital.
Such complacent thoughts of postponing screenings simply because you are “annoyed” or “lack time” can bring unexpected disadvantages. If you fail to undergo the examination within the designated legal screening period, heavy fines are imposed not only on the employee personally, but also on their affiliated company (employer).
Then, what specific disadvantages arise if you do not get screened within the period, and how much are the fines? In this post, we will thoroughly examine the obligation of office worker health screenings, the fine criteria incurred upon non-compliance, and smart tips to wisely avoid them.

How to Check Eligibility for Office Worker Health Screening and Legal Obligations

While many know that office worker health screenings are a legal obligation, there are many who are confused about whether they are eligible this year or want to clearly understand what responsibilities the company bears. In this section, we clearly and simply outline how to check your screening eligibility status the fastest and most accurately, along with the legal obligations that employees and employers must comply with.

1. Office Workers vs. Non-Office Workers: Am I Eligible This Year?

General health screenings organized by the National Health Insurance Service have different screening intervals depending on the occupational category of the workplace subscriber.
Office workers: Must undergo screening once every 2 years. (Based on birth year, those born in even-numbered years are eligible in even-numbered years, and those born in odd-numbered years are eligible in odd-numbered years.)
Non-office workers (field workers, production workers, etc.): Due to the nature of their jobs, which involve a high likelihood of physical activity or exposure to hazardous factors, they must undergo screening essentially every year (once a year).
If you are confused about whether your birth year matches the current year, you don’t need to wait for the notification mail sent by the Corporation; you can check it in just 1 minute using your smartphone.

1. How to Check Eligibility Using the Official National Health Insurance App (‘The Geon-gang-bo-heom’)

The most convenient method is to use the official smartphone application.

1. App Launch and Login: Install and run the ‘The건강보험’ app on your smartphone, then log in through a simple authentication method such as Naver or Kakao.
2. Entering the Health Screening Menu: Select the ‘Health Screening’ or ‘My Health Screening Information’ section from the main screen or the general menu.
3. Checking Eligibility Status: At a glance, you can check whether you are eligible for the general health screening this year, along with your eligibility for oral health screenings and cancer screenings (stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, etc.).
4. Finding Designated Hospitals: At the bottom of the inquiry screen, you can immediately search for designated health screening hospitals (medical institutions) near your company location or home, making reservations very convenient.
5. Legal Obligations Imposed on Employees and Employers (Company)

Office worker health screenings are not merely recommended health management, but a powerful mandatory system enforced by law.
Employee’s Obligation (Occupational Safety and Health Act and National Health Insurance Act): Employees have an obligation to undergo screening within the period designated by the company or the Corporation. If they refuse this without justifiable reason or fail to receive it within the period, they may face disadvantages in accordance with laws and regulations.
Employer’s (Company’s) Obligation: Employers have a legal obligation to notify employees and guarantee time so that affiliated workers can receive health screenings within the statutory period. If the company does not encourage employees’ screenings or causes disadvantages based on screenings, massive fines are imposed on the employer.
In other words, office worker health screenings are not optional choices of “it’s fine if you don’t take them,” but a legal responsibility that both employees and the company must strictly observe.
In the next section, we will take a detailed look at the criteria and core contents of “how much fines are specifically imposed if you do not get screened within the period,” which many people are most curious about.

Criteria for Fines Imposed When Health Screenings Are Not Conducted Within the Period (Core)

“Surely nothing major will happen just because I didn’t get a checkup?” If you brush it off casually, you might pay a heavy price. Because office worker health screenings are a legal obligation based on the Occupational Safety and Health Act, failing to receive them within the deadline results in fines being imposed on both the company (employer) and the employee personally.
제니스세무회계
We will highlight the core details on specifically what criteria and amounts are used to assess the fines.

1. Fine Criteria Imposed on the Company (Employer)

일상 정리 – 티스토리
The primary legal responsibility for not conducting health screenings lies with the employer, who must manage the health of employees.
If the company did not encourage or guide employees regarding screenings, or if unexamined individuals occurred without justifiable reason, fines are imposed based on a per-employee standard.
GC케어
+ 1
First-time violation:
100,000 KRW per employee
GC케어
+ 1
Second-time violation:
200,000 KRW per employee
GC케어
+ 1
Third-time or more violation:
300,000 KRW per employee
GC케어
+ 1
Cumulative limit:
Depending on the number of violations and personnel, a fine of up to 10 million KRW or less may be imposed on the employer.
GC케어
+ 1
In the case of small and medium-sized enterprises or workplaces with many employees, even if just a few staff members postpone their screenings, the fine amount that the entire company must bear can snowball. This is precisely why human resources teams or internal general affairs departments repeatedly send out internal notices every year-end to urge health checkups.

1. Are Fines Also Issued to Individual Employees?

일상 정리 – 티스토리
Fines can also be imposed on the employee themselves who failed to get checked up, either thinking “the company will take care of it” or putting it off due to personal circumstances.
This is because, under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employees also have a legal obligation to receive health examinations.
제니스세무회계
+ 1
First-time violation:
50,000 KRW
GC케어
+ 1
Second-time violation:
100,000 KRW
GC케어
+ 1
Third-time or more violation:
150,000 KRW
GC케어
+ 1
However, fines are imposed on an individual employee only when the company frequently guided and encouraged them to get screened, yet the employee stubbornly refused or failed to take it until the end for personal reasons.
Conversely, if the company did not provide any guidance or measures, the employer bears primary responsibility.
제니스세무회계

1. Core Points to Avoid a Fine Bomb

Labor Ministry Fines, Not Taxes:
Since this fine is not national tax but rather a fine under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Employment and Labor for violating occupational safety and health obligations, it cannot be resolved through year-end tax settlement or tax agency services.
제니스세무회계
Retention of Evidence Material by the Company: Employers must be sure to retain records (notice details, guidance documents, etc.) informing workers that they are health screening targets via text message and email, and guiding them multiple times to take the exam, which can be useful for exemption from (or defense against) fines during subsequent Ministry of Employment and Labor inspections.
In the next section, we will look into smart tips to avoid the year-end concentration phenomenon—where reservations are paralyzed at hospitals every year-end—and complete your screening at a relaxed pace.

Beware of the Year-End Rush! Smart Screening Tips to Avoid Fines and Long Waits

Between October and December every year, health screening centers are packed to the point where there is not an inch to spare. Every year, numerous office workers end up stamping their feet in anxiety because they put it off thinking, “I’ll just get it done before the year ends,” only to find that reservations are completely fully booked by the end of the year.
We have organized 3 smart health screening tips to prevent the misfortune of both you and your company getting hit with fine bombs or failing to secure a reservation on your desired date because you missed the statutory screening period.

1. Avoid the Peak Year-End Time (October–December) (Recommended to Get Examined in the First Half of the Year)

Paralyzed Reservations and Exploding Waiting Times: Since more than half of all examinees crowd into the second half of the year, especially November and December, it is very common for popular tests like gastric endoscopy or sedation endoscopy to be fully booked months in advance.
Advantages of Utilizing the First Half of the Year (January–June): If you book an appointment at the beginning of the year or in the spring (first half), hospitals are relatively uncrowded, waiting times are much shorter, and you can consult with medical staff more thoroughly and at ease.

1. Check Remaining Screening Institutions and Reservation Status Using the ‘The건강보험’ App

Searching for Designated Hospitals: You can easily find screening institutions near you through the official National Health Insurance Service app ‘The건강보험’ or the National Health Insurance website (healthiN).
Tips for Telephone Booking: Rather than just relying on internet searches, it is better to call the hospital you wish to visit in advance to figure out available reservation schedules for your preferred day of the week (e.g., weekday mornings or Saturdays), and disclose in advance that you are an office worker health screening target.

1. What If You Inevitably Look Like You’ll Exceed the Period? Apply for ‘Health Screening Period Extension (Deferral)’

What should you do if you find yourself in a situation where you simply cannot undergo a health checkup within the current year due to personal illness, an accident, or unavoidable business-related reasons from your company?
Deferral Application Method: Before the target year for the health screening passes (or within the deadline set by the Corporation), you can submit a health screening period extension (deferral) application form along with supporting documents to the National Health Insurance Service, and upon approval, postpone the screening period to the following year.
Fine Exemption Effect: If you complete your screening only within the legally extended period approved by the Corporation, you can be excluded from the targets for fines due to uncompleted screenings. Therefore, if your deadline is approaching, it is safe to quickly inquire with the Corporation’s Customer Center (1577-1000) or a local branch office.
In the next section, we will neatly summarize today’s core content and convey words of advice for a healthy work life free of worries about fines.

Conclusion: Protecting a Healthy Work Life Free of Fine Worries Through Thorough Advance Preparation

So far, we have thoroughly examined everything from the legal obligation of office worker health screenings to fine criteria imposed upon non-compliance, and smart screening tips to avoid the year-end rush.
Office worker health screenings are not simply cumbersome annual events, but the most powerful shield to protect your precious health amidst a busy daily routine and discover potential illnesses early. Above all, since failure to complete them within the legally stipulated deadline results in fines being imposed not only on the employee personally but also on the company, taking an attitude of “putting it off for later” is strictly prohibited.
Habit of Not Postponing: If you are an eligible target this year, check your eligibility right now through your smartphone via the ‘The건강보험’ app and make reservations in advance during the first half of the year or a relaxed period.
A Co-Prosperous Workplace Culture: We hope that companies actively encourage employees so they can get checked up without feeling hesitant, and that employees faithfully undergo examinations within the deadline, thereby creating a healthy work life where both you and the company are free from worries about fines.
We hope today’s post was useful in helping you prepare safely and smartly for your health screening, and we sincerely wish you an always energetic and healthy day! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment. Thank you!
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