Unused annual leave when employment ends

Unused eligible leave may be taken before the last employment day or settled as pay. Compare the leave balance, deadlines and actual last working day.

Source baseline 2026-10-06 · Estimates and reference information, not legal or tax advice.

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Compare the same employment end date

Assume five eligible unused days, a 40-hour week, eight scheduled hours per day, monthly ordinary wage of KRW 2,500,000 and no valid promotion exemption. Employment ends October 30, 2026 in both options. Taking leave October 26–30 makes October 23 the last day physically at work; working through October 30 leaves the five days for eligible cash settlement. Taking leave does not automatically extend the agreed employment end date.

Rounding and double counting

Under the 209-hour conversion, flooring daily pay first gives 95,693 × 5 = KRW 478,465. Keeping fractions until the final step gives KRW 478,468. Confirm the applicable pay basis and treatment. Do not add unused-leave pay for the same days already taken as paid leave.

Ask for a grant-by-grant settlement

Separate grants, usage, expiry, leave-use promotion and payments already made. A calculator’s current balance does not determine all cash claims at resignation. Request the eligible days, wage basis and payment date, and distinguish leave pay included in severance calculations from new leave pay arising at resignation.

Pay for unused leave

When eligible statutory leave remains unused at the end of employment, a reference formula is daily ordinary wage × unused leave days. Determine which leave days are still valid and whether a lawful leave-use promotion process affects payment.

Taking leave versus cash settlement

Taking leave can move the last day physically at work earlier while the employment relationship continues. Cash settlement pays for unused leave instead. The two choices can affect schedules and payroll differently.

Near the first anniversary

The 15-day annual grant after a qualifying year can turn on whether employment continues through the legally relevant anniversary. A one-day date change may therefore matter.

Common mistakes

Do not treat the last working day and last employment day as the same date, or assume every displayed system balance is a statutory entitlement. Check records and employer policy.

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Sources

The source baseline for this guide is 2026-10-06; individually rechecked sources show their own dates above. Laws and rates may have changed. Consult the originals before an important decision.