Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 91다5587

Wages (임금)임금

Decided1992. 04. 14. Court대법원Case remanded (파기환송) - the Supreme Court found error in the lower court's calculation and sent the severance pay portion back for retrial
AI-generated English translation (summary, key points, decision summary and full text) for reference only — not an official translation and without legal effect. The Korean original below is authoritative.
AI Easy read — AI summary of this decision
AI-generated summary for reference only — the Korean original below is authoritative.

This case involves the calculation of severance pay (퇴직금) for an employee of a railway car maintenance depot. The Supreme Court (대법원) ruled that while holiday work allowance and family allowance should be included in the average wage (평균임금) calculation, the allowance for unused annual paid leave (연차유급휴가 미사용수당) should only be included if the work period that gave rise to it falls within the three months immediately preceding retirement. The Supreme Court found an error in the lower court's inclusion of the annual leave allowance and remanded the severance pay portion of the case for retrial.

Key takeaways
  • CaseAn employee of a railway car maintenance depot requested that the allowance for unused annual paid leave be included in the average wage calculation for severance pay purposes.
  • OutcomeThe Supreme Court ruled that the annual leave allowance can only be included in the average wage if the work period that generated it falls within the three months immediately before retirement.
  • LessonWhen calculating severance pay, allowances for unused annual leave from the previous year are excluded from average wage calculations, so employees benefit from using their annual leave within the same year it is earned.
Issues
  • Whether holiday work allowance and family allowance should be included in the average wage (평균임금) calculation
  • Whether the allowance for unused annual paid leave should be included in the average wage calculation for severance pay purposes
Key reasoning

Under Korean labor law, allowances that are paid continuously and regularly are generally included in the average wage calculation used to determine severance pay. However, the allowance for unused annual paid leave is treated differently because it compensates for leave earned based on the previous year's work, not the year of retirement. Therefore, this allowance can only be included in the average wage calculation if the underlying work period falls within the three months immediately before the employee's retirement. Since the annual leave in this case was earned through work performed in the prior year, it could not be considered compensation for work performed during the retirement year, and thus improperly included in the average wage by the lower court.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

a. The total amount of wages, which serves as the basis for calculating average wages, includes any and all money and valuables paid by the employer to the employee as remuneration for labor, provided that such payments are made continuously and regularly to the employee and the employer is obligated to pay them under a collective agreement, employment rules, etc., regardless of what name is given to them. Accordingly, holiday work allowances are naturally included therein, and family allowances, which the employer is obligated to pay under the Railroad Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot Employee Regulations, are also included therein.

b. The annual paid leave system prescribed in Article 48 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) refers to paid leave that the employer must grant, at a time requested by the employee within the following one-year period, to an employee who has worked without absence for one year or has attended work for at least nine-tenths of the working days. Therefore, even if an employee retires without using the annual paid leave that had been confirmed as due to the employee by virtue of having worked without absence or having attended work for at least nine-tenths of the working days in the year prior to retirement, thereby giving rise to a claim for payment of an allowance in lieu of the unused annual paid leave for that period, such allowance is paid as remuneration for labor performed during "the one-year period prior to the year of retirement," which is the cause giving rise to the annual paid leave, and cannot be regarded as payment for labor performed during "the year of retirement," in which the employee became entitled to claim the annual paid leave. Accordingly, unless a portion of "the one-year period prior to the year of retirement," which is the cause giving rise to the annual paid leave, falls within the three-month period preceding the date of retirement, the allowance in lieu of unused annual paid leave cannot be included in the average wage that serves as the basis for calculating retirement allowances.

Full text (English, AI translation) 6,527 chars

[Order]

The part of the lower court judgment concerning severance pay, among the parts where the Defendant lost, is reversed, and this part of the case is remanded to the Seoul High Court.

The remainder of the Defendant's appeal is dismissed.

The costs of appeal with respect to the dismissed portion of the appeal shall be borne by the Defendant.

[Reasoning]

The grounds for appeal (including the reasons stated in the supplementary appellate brief submitted after the deadline, to the extent that they supplement the reasons stated in the appellate brief) are examined.

1. According to the reasoning of the lower court judgment, the lower court determined that, with respect to statutory allowances such as overtime work, night work, holiday work, and annual leave allowances paid by the Defendant to the deceased non-party, who was a worker (공원) at the Seoul Railroad Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot (서울철도차량정비창) under the Defendant's jurisdiction, even though the Railroad Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot Employee Regulations (철도차량정비창직원규정) and the Railroad Public Officials' Annual Leave Regulations (철도공무원연가규정), which set the standards therefor, were based on a collective agreement concluded upon acceptance of the workers' including the deceased's desire to be treated the same as railroad technical public officials, these regulations remain invalid to the extent that the standards set therein fall short of the minimum standards under the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법), and that the Labor Standards Act must be applied to the deceased, who was a worker. This determination by the lower court is proper, and there is no error of misunderstanding the law therein. Moreover, it cannot be said that it is contrary to the principles of labor law for the deceased, who raised no objection to the Defendant regarding receiving remuneration below the standard under the Labor Standards Act while in service, to seek payment of the shortfall only after his retirement. The argument criticizing the lower court judgment from the opposite position is without merit.

2. According to the reasoning of the lower court judgment, the lower court included holiday work allowance and family allowance for the three months prior to retirement in the total amount of wages, which is the basis for calculating the average wage for computing the deceased's rightful severance pay. The total amount of wages, which is the basis for calculating average wage, includes all money and valuables paid by the employer to the worker as consideration for labor, provided that they are paid continuously and regularly to the worker and the employer is obligated to pay them under a collective agreement, rules of employment, etc., regardless of their designation. Therefore, it is only natural that holiday work allowance is included therein, and family allowance, which the Defendant is obligated to pay under the aforementioned Railroad Rolling Stock Maintenance Depot Employee Regulations, is also included therein.

The above determination by the lower court is proper, and the argument criticizing the lower court judgment from the opposite position is without merit.

3. According to the reasoning of the lower court judgment, the lower court included, in the total amount of wages which is the basis for calculating average wage, an amount of 166,758 won, which is a portion of the annual leave work allowance of 663,408 won for having worked without using the 33 days of annual leave earned through full attendance in 1987, in 1988, for the deceased who retired on October 4, 1988. However, according to Articles 18 and 19 of the Labor Standards Act, it is clear that the average wage, which serves as the basis for computing severance pay under Article 28 of the same Act, means the amount obtained by dividing the total amount of wages paid as consideration for labor during the three months prior to the date of retirement by the total number of days in that period, for a worker who retires. Meanwhile, the annual paid leave system under Article 48 of the same Act refers to paid leave that an employer must grant, at a time requested by the worker, during the following one-year period, to a worker who has attended work without absence for one year or has attended at least 90% of the time. Therefore, even if a worker retires without using the annual paid leave that was confirmed to be granted due to full attendance or attendance of at least 90% in the year prior to retirement, thereby giving rise to a right to claim payment of the annual paid leave work allowance for that period, such allowance is paid as consideration for labor during "the one year prior to the year of retirement," which was the cause giving rise to such annual paid leave, and cannot be regarded as being paid as consideration for labor "in the year of retirement," in which the worker became entitled to claim the annual paid leave. Accordingly, unless a portion of "the one year prior to the year of retirement," which was the cause giving rise to the annual paid leave, falls within the three months prior to the date of retirement, the annual paid leave work allowance cannot be included in the average wage, which serves as the basis for computing severance pay (see this Court's Decisions 69Da621, decided July 8, 1969, and 90Daka24496, decided December 21, 1990). Therefore, the annual leave work allowance, which is consideration for having worked on the 33 days of annual paid leave that the deceased, who retired on October 4, 1988, could have used in 1988 due to full attendance in 1987, should not have been included in the total amount of wages, which is the basis for calculating average wage for computing the deceased's severance pay. Nevertheless, the lower court erred in this respect by including a portion of that amount in the total amount of wages, which affected the part of the lower court judgment concerning severance pay, and thus the argument pointing this out is well-founded.

4. Therefore, the part of the lower court judgment concerning severance pay, among the parts where the Defendant lost, is reversed, and this part of the case is remanded to the court below; the remainder of the Defendant's appeal is dismissed; and the costs of appeal with respect to the dismissed portion of the appeal shall be borne by the losing party. It is so decided by the unanimous opinion of the Justices participating in the decision, as stated in the Order.

Justice Choi Jae-ho (Presiding Justice), Yoon Kwan, Kim Ju-han, Kim Yong-jun

【판결요지】

가. 평균임금의 산정기초인 임금 총액에는 사용자가 근로의 대상으로 근로자에게 지급하는 일체의 금품으로서 근로자에게 계속적, 정기적으로 지급되고 단체협약, 취업규칙 등에 의하여 사용자에게 그 지급의무가 지워져 있는 것이면 그 명칭이 어떠하든 모두 포함된다 할 것이므로 휴일근로수당이 이에 포함됨은 당연하고 또한 철도차량정비창 직원규정에 의하여 지급의무가 지워져 있는 가족수당도 이에 포함된다.

나. 근로기준법 제48조 소정의 연차유급휴가제도는 사용자가 1년 간 개근하거나 9할 이상 출근한 근로자에 대하여 다음해 1년 사이에 근로자의 청구가 있는 시기에 주어야 하는 유급휴가를 말하는 것이므로 근로자가 퇴직하기 전 해에 개근하거나 9할 이상 출근함으로써 받을 것으로 확정된 연차유급휴가를 사용하지 아니한 채 퇴직함으로 말미암아 그 기간에 대한 연차유급휴가근로수당 지급청구권이 발생하였다 하더라도 이는 위와 같은 연차유급휴가를 받게 된 원인이 된 “퇴직하기 전 해 1년 간”의 근로의 대상으로 지급되는 것이지, 연차유급휴가를 청구할 수 있게 된 “퇴직하는 그 해”의 근로에 대한 대가로 지급되는 것이라고는 볼 수 없기 때문에 연차유급휴가를 받게 된 원인이 된 “퇴직하기 전 해 1년 간”의 일부가 퇴직한 날 이전 3개월 간에 포함되지 않는 한 연차유급휴가근로수당은 퇴직금의 산출기준이 되는 평균임금에 포함시킬 수 없다.

【참조조문】

가.나. 근로기준법 제19조 / 나. 같은 법 제28조, 제48조

【참조판례】

가. 대법원 1990.11.9. 선고 90다카6948 판결(공1991,37), 1990.11.27. 선고 90다카23868 판결(공1991,218), 1990.12.7. 선고 90다카19647 판결(공1991,432) / 나. 대법원 1969.7.8. 선고 69다621 판결(집17②민303), 1990.12.21. 선고 90다카24496 판결(공1991,591), 1991.12.24. 선고 91다20494 판결(공1992,668)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 2,323자 · 펼쳐 보기

【원고(선정당사자), 피상고인】

【피고, 상고인】 대한민국

【원심판결】 서울고등법원 1990.2.27. 선고 90나36777 판결

【주 문】

원심판결의 피고패소부분 가운데 퇴직금에 관한 부분을 파기하고 이 부분 사건을 서울고등법원에 환송한다.

피고의 나머지 상고를 기각한다.

상고기각부분에 관한 상고비용은 피고의 부담으로 한다.

【이 유】 상고이유(기간경과 후에 제출된 보충상고이유서기재 이유는 상고이유서기재 이유를 보충하는 범위 내에서)를 판단한다.

1. 원심판결 이유에 의하면 원심은, 피고가 피고산하 서울철도차량정비창의 공원인 망 소외인에게 지급한 시간외 근로, 야간근로, 휴일근로, 연차휴가 등 법정제수당에 관하여 정한 철도차량정비창직원규정 및 철도공무원연가규정이 비록 위 망인 등 근로자들이 철도기능직공무원과 같은 대우를 원하였기 때문에 이를 받아들여 체결된 단체협약을 기초로 한 것이라 할지라도 위 규정들에서 정한 기준이 근로기준법상의 최저기준에 미치지 못하는 범위 내에서는 여전히 무효이고, 근로자인 위 망인에게 근로기준법이 적용되어야 한다고 판단하였는 바, 원심의 이러한 판단은 정당하고 거기에 법리오해의 위법이 없으며 또한 위 망인이 재직시에 근로기준법에 미달되는 보수를 받은데 대하여 피고에게 아무런 이의를 제기한 바 없다가 그의 퇴직 후에야 비로소 그 미달된 금액의 지급을 구하는 것이 노동법의 원리에 반한다고 할 수 없다. 반대의 입장에서 원심판결을 비난하는 논지는 이유없다.

2. 원심판결 이유에 의하면 원심은, 위 망인의 정당한 퇴직금을 계산하기 위한 평균임금의 산정기초인 임금 총액에 퇴직전 3개월 간의 휴일근로수당과 가족수당을 산입하고 있다. 평균임금의 산정기초인 임금 총액에는 사용자가 근로의 대상으로 근로자에게 지급하는 일체의 금품으로서 근로자에게 계속적, 정기적으로 지급되고 단체협약, 취업규칙 등에 의하여 사용자에게 그 지급의무가 지워져 있는 것이면 그 명칭이 어떠하든 모두 포함된다 할 것이므로 휴일근로수당이 이에 포함됨은 당연하고 또한 위 철도차량정비창직원규정에 의하여 피고에게 지급의무가 지워져 있는 가족수당도 이에 포함된다고 할 것이다.

원심의 위 판단은 정당하고 반대의 입장에서 원심판결을 비난하는 논지는 이유없다.

3. 원심판결 이유에 의하면 원심은, 1988.10.4. 퇴직한 위 망인이 1987년도에 개근하여 취득한 33일간의 연차휴가를 1988년도에 사용하지 않고 근로한데 따른 연차휴가근로수당 금 663,408원중 일부인 금 166,758원을 평균임금 산정기초인 임금 총액에 산입하고 있다. 그러나 근로기준법 제18조와 제19조에 의하면 같은법 제28조 소정의 퇴직금의 산출기준이 되는 평균임금은 퇴직하는 근로자에 대하여 퇴직한 날 이전 3개월 간에 그 근로의 대상으로 지급된 임금의 총액을 그 기간의 총일수로 나눈 금액을 말하는 것임이 명백하고, 한편 같은 법 제48조 소정의 연차유급휴가제도는 사용자가 1년 간 개근하거나 9할 이상 출근한 근로자에 대하여 다음 해 1년 사이에 근로자의 청구가 있는 시기에 주어야 하는 유급휴가를 말하는 것이므로 근로자가 퇴직하기 전 해에 개근하거나 9할 이상 출근함으로써 받을 것으로 확정된 연차유급휴가를 사용하지 아니한 채 퇴직함으로 말미암아 그 기간에 대한 연차유급휴가근로수당 지급청구권이 발생하였다 하더라도 이는 위와 같은 연차유급휴가를 받게 된 원인이 된 “퇴직하기 전 해 1년간”의 근로의 대상으로 지급되는 것이지, 연차유급 휴가를 청구할 수 있게 된 “퇴직하는 그 해”의 근로에 대한 대가로 지급되는 것이라고는 볼 수 없기 때문에 연차유급휴가를 받게 된 원인이 된 “퇴직하기 전 해 1년간”의 일부가 퇴직한 날 이전 3개월 간에 포함되지 않는 한 연차유급휴가근로수당은 퇴직금의 산출기준이 되는 평균임금에 포함시킬 수 없는 것이다(당원 1969.7.8. 선고 69다621 판결, 1990.12.21. 선고 90다카24496 판결 참조). 따라서 1988.10.4. 퇴직한 망인이 1987년도 개근하여 1988년도에 사용할 수 있었던 33일간의 연차유급휴가일에 근로한 대가인 연차휴가근로수당은 위 망인의 퇴직금 산정을 위한 평균임금산정기초인 임금 총액에 산입되어서는 아니됨에도 불구하고 원심은 그 일부금액을 그 임금 총액에 산입함으로서 원심판결 중 퇴직금에 관한 부분에 영향을 미친 잘못이 있으므로 이를 지적하는 논지는 이유 있다.

4. 그러므로 원심판결의 피고패소부분 가운데 퇴직금에 관한 부분을 파기하여 이 부분 사건을 원심법원에 환송하고 피고의 나머지 상고를 기각하며 상고기각부분에 관한 상고비용은 패소자의 부담으로 하기로 하여 관여 법관의 일치된 의견으로 주문과 같이 판결한다.

대법관 최재호(재판장) 윤관 김주한 김용준

Related statutes

Similar cases

Cases with high content similarity to this one.

#1
68다2152 · 대법원 1969-03-04
Retirement Pay
#2
91다14437 · 대법원 1991-08-13
Wages
#3
81다카1275 · 대법원 1982-11-23
Severance Pay (퇴직금) Calculation Case
#4
69나2312 · 서울고법 1970-07-24
퇴직금청구사건
#5
69다621 · 대법원 1969-07-08
Severance Pay (퇴직금) Calculation Case

Cases citing this decision

2004다13755 · 대법원 2005-10-13
Wages
2004다13762 · 대법원 2005-10-13
Wages
2004다41217 · 대법원 2005-09-09
Wages Dispute Case
97다56235 · 대법원 1999-02-09
Severance Pay Case (Case No. 97Da56235)
93다26168 · 대법원 1995-07-11
Severance Pay (퇴직금) Calculation Case

Related tools & guides

AI answers need an account (free accounts: 2 per month) — submit and you'll return to this question after logging in. Search and case reading stay free.

Cross-check the original: 국가법령정보센터 (auxiliary link)