Workbear재주넘는곰
대법원 91다30828

Severance Pay, etc. (퇴직금등)퇴직금등

Decided1992. 02. 28. Court대법원Employer won
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.

Loading and unloading workers at a flour milling company sued their employer to claim unpaid bonuses and overtime allowances. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the employer, holding that a contract under which various allowances were combined into (added to) the base wage in advance, with the workers' consent, was valid. The Court also held that a separate set of employment rules (취업규칙) may be established for certain job categories given their unique characteristics, and that a severance pay (퇴직금) regulation is invalid only as to the specific portions that fall below the standards set by the Labor Standards Act, not in its entirety.

Key takeaways
  • CaseIncident: Loading and unloading workers at a flour milling company sued their employer to recover unpaid bonuses and overtime allowances.
  • OutcomeResult: The court held that the contract, under which various allowances were combined into the base wage in advance with the workers' consent, was valid.
  • LessonLesson: A contract incorporating allowances into base pay can be lawful if the worker genuinely consents and suffers no disadvantage, but such arrangements require careful scrutiny.
Issues
  • Whether a contract combining various allowances into the base wage is valid
  • Whether a separate employment rule (취업규칙) may be established for specific job categories
  • Whether a severance pay (퇴직금) regulation remains valid when it contains a mix of provisions less favorable and more favorable than statutory standards
Key reasoning

The Court reasoned that a contract combining various allowances into the base wage in advance is valid so long as the worker consented to it, the worker suffers no actual disadvantage as a result, and the arrangement is otherwise justified under the overall circumstances. Because the nature of certain job categories can differ significantly from others within the same company, the Court found it permissible for an employer to establish a separate employment rule (취업규칙) applicable only to a specific subset of workers whose duties warrant distinct treatment. Regarding the severance pay (퇴직금) regulation, the Court held that even where some provisions are less favorable to workers than the statutory minimum while others are more favorable, only the specific portions that fall short of the Labor Standards Act's requirements are rendered invalid, rather than invalidating the regulation as a whole.

Summary of Decision (English, AI translation)

a. In light of the provisions of Articles 22 and 46 through 48 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법), the principle is that a basic wage should be determined by an employment contract and the various allowances calculated in accordance therewith should be added together; however, even where, taking into account working hours, the form of work, and the nature of the duties, a contract has been concluded with the employee's consent to pay, as the monthly wage amount, a fixed sum in which the various allowances have been added in advance to the basic wage, such contract is valid where there is no disadvantage to the employee in light of the collective agreement or the rules of employment, and where it is recognized as justifiable in light of all the circumstances.

나. The rules of employment (취업규칙) referred to in Article 94 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) means, regardless of its title, anything containing the content of standards concerning service discipline, wages, and other working conditions; accordingly, if a labor service contract (노역계약서) concluded between a flour mill company's factory and its loading and unloading crew members contains the content of standards concerning service discipline, wages, and other working conditions applicable to the loading and unloading crew members, then such labor service contract shall be regarded as rules of employment under Article 94 of the same Act. Although this applies to the loading and unloading crew members separately from the rules of employment applicable to the company's other employees, it is permissible, according to the particular nature of a worker's job category at the workplace concerned, to establish separate rules of employment applicable to a portion of the workers, and in such a case, the combination of the two sets of rules of employment constitutes a single set of rules of employment under Article 94 of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법).

다. Where a retirement allowance provision sets the starting date for calculating years of continuous service not as the date of actual entry into employment but as a date thereafter, thereby being in one respect disadvantageous to the employee, while at the same time adopting a progressive rather than a flat payment rate, thereby being in another respect advantageous to the employee, if the amount calculated under such provision falls short of the amount calculated under the provisions of the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법), the provision shall be deemed invalid as violating the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법) only to the extent of such shortfall; the provision concerning the starting date should not be separately extracted and declared invalid on its own.

Full text (English, AI translation) 8,088 chars

[Plaintiffs, Appellants] Plaintiff 1 and 1 other (Attorneys Lee Jung-gwang and 1 other, Counsel for the plaintiffs)
[Defendant, Appellee] Defendant, Receiver of Shinhan Flour Mills Co., Ltd. under Reorganization (Attorney Lee Won-gu, Counsel for the defendant)
[Judgment Below] Seoul High Court Decision 91Na14286 rendered on July 10, 1991

[Order]

All appeals are dismissed.
The costs of the appeal shall be borne by the plaintiffs.

[Reasoning]

We examine the grounds of appeal.

1. As to Ground of Appeal No. 1

According to the reasoning of the judgment below, the court below examined the claims of the plaintiffs, who had worked as loading and unloading crew members at the Bupyeong Plant of non-party Shinhan Flour Mills Co., Ltd., for payment of unpaid bonuses, extended work allowances, holiday work allowances, and annual/monthly leave work allowances pursuant to the non-party company's rules of employment and the Labor Standards Act (근로기준법). Based on the evidence presented, the court below found that the loading and unloading crew members, including the plaintiffs, had each year delegated authority to their team leaders to conclude piece-work labor contracts (조작노역계약) with the non-party company, and that under such contracts, the work fees for the loading and unloading crew members were to be calculated according to a rate table by item (or a piece-work wage rate table by item) agreed upon between the parties; that the said rate table was determined by comprehensively taking into account the various allowances and bonuses prescribed under the Labor Standards Act; that when the non-party company paid bonuses to its employees, the loading and unloading crew members were also to be paid, per person, based on 100% amounts of KRW 10,000 in 1986 and 1987, and KRW 100,000 in 1988, the same number of times as the employees; and that for work performed after 19:00 each month, an allowance of 5% in 1978 and 50% thereafter was to be added to the said rate. Having found these facts, the court below held that the said contract—under which, without predetermining a basic wage, a fixed amount combining in advance the bonuses and the various allowances under the Labor Standards Act was paid as the wage amount with the consent of the workers—caused no disadvantage to the workers and, in light of the overall circumstances, was recognized as legitimate and thus valid; and accordingly held that the plaintiffs' assertion, which presupposed the existence of a separate right to claim bonuses and allowances under the Labor Standards Act apart from the wages under the said contract, was without merit.

Under Articles 22, and 46 through 48, etc. of the Labor Standards Act, an employer must, at the time of concluding a labor contract, specify to the worker the wages, working hours, and other working conditions, and wages must include, in addition to the basic wage, various allowances corresponding to overtime work, night work, and holiday work, etc. Thus, in principle, the basic wage should be determined by the labor contract and the various allowances calculated accordingly and added thereto. However, even where a contract has been concluded, with the consent of the worker, taking into account the working hours, the form of work, and the nature of the duties, providing for a fixed monthly wage amount in which the various allowances are combined in advance with the basic wage, such contract shall be valid if it causes no disadvantage to the worker in light of the collective agreement or rules of employment, and if it is recognized as legitimate in light of the overall circumstances (see this Court's Decisions 87Daka474 rendered on August 18, 1987; 89Daka32118 rendered on April 23, 1991).

The court below's determination, to the same effect, regarding the validity of the piece-work labor contract concluded between the plaintiffs and the non-party company as set forth in its findings, is justified, and there is no error of misapprehension of the legal principles concerning the Labor Standards Act as argued in the grounds of appeal. This ground of appeal is without merit.

2. As to Grounds of Appeal Nos. 2 and 3

According to the reasoning of the judgment below, the court below found, based on the evidence presented, that the loading and unloading crew members at the Bupyeong Plant of the non-party company, including the plaintiffs, did not fall under the category of "employees" as defined in the non-party company's rules of employment (Exhibit A No. 1), which apply to the employees of the non-party company, and accordingly held that the wages of the plaintiffs should be paid pursuant to the said piece-work labor contract, rather than the said rules of employment.

Upon examination of the record, the court below's factual finding that the loading and unloading crew members, including the plaintiffs, do not fall under the category of "employees" as defined in the said rules of employment is acceptable, and there is no error of misapprehension of facts in violation of the rules of evidence as pointed out in the grounds of appeal. Accordingly, this ground of appeal is without merit.

Furthermore, "rules of employment" as referred to in Article 94 of the Labor Standards Act means any set of rules containing standards regarding service discipline, wages, and other working conditions, regardless of its title. The said piece-work labor contract document contains standards regarding service discipline, wages, and other working conditions applicable to the loading and unloading crew members, and thus constitutes rules of employment under Article 94 of the Labor Standards Act. Although this is applied to the loading and unloading crew members separately from the rules of employment (Exhibit A No. 1) applicable to the employees of the non-party company, it is permissible, in light of the specificity of the type of work of some workers at a given place of business, to establish separate rules of employment applicable to a portion of the workers; and in such a case, the two sets of rules of employment combined constitute a single set of rules of employment under Article 94 of the Labor Standards Act. Accordingly, the argument that, on the premise that the said piece-work labor contract document does not constitute rules of employment, only the non-party company's rules of employment (Exhibit A No. 1) should naturally apply to the plaintiffs, who are workers at the non-party company's Bupyeong Plant, is also without merit.

3. As to Ground of Appeal No. 4

Where retirement allowance regulations set the starting date for calculating years of continuous service as a date later than the actual date of joining the company, thereby being disadvantageous to the worker in one respect, while at the same time setting the payment rate on a progressive rather than a flat-rate basis, thereby being advantageous to the worker in another respect, if the amount calculated under such regulations falls short of the amount calculated under the provisions of the Labor Standards Act, then only the shortfall amount shall be deemed to violate the Labor Standards Act and be invalid; it is not permissible to isolate the provision regarding the starting date alone and declare that provision invalid (see this Court's Decision 84Daka1409 rendered on February 24, 1987).

Accordingly, the court below's determination, in accordance with the aforementioned legal principle, as to whether the retirement allowance provisions of the said piece-work labor contract document violate the Labor Standards Act, is justified, and there is no error of misapprehension of the legal principles concerning the Labor Standards Act as pointed out in the grounds of appeal. This ground of appeal is also without merit.

Therefore, all appeals are dismissed, and the costs of the appeal shall be borne by the losing parties. This judgment is rendered as set forth in the Order, by the unanimous opinion of the Justices participating in the adjudication.

Justice Park Man-ho (Presiding Justice), Park Woo-dong, Kim Sang-won, Yoon Young-chul

【판결요지】

가. 근로기준법 제22조, 제46조 내지 제48조 등의 규정에 비추어 근로계약에 의하여 기본임금을 결정하고 이에 따르는 제수당을 계산하여 합산하여야 함이 원칙이나, 근로시간 및 근로형태와 그 업무의 성질 등을 참작하여 근로자의 승낙하에 제수당을 미리 기본임금에 합산한 일정액을 월급여액으로 지급하는 내용의 계약을 체결하였다고 하더라도 단체협약이나 취업규칙에 비추어 근로자에게 불이익이 없고, 제반 사정에 비추어 정당하다고 인정될 때에는 그 계약은 유효하다.

나. 근로기준법 제94조 소정의 취업규칙이라 함은 복무규율과 임금 등 근로조건에 관한 준칙의 내용을 담고 있으면 그 명칭을 불문하는 것인바, 제분회사 공장의 상하차반원들과 사이에 체결된 노역계약서가 상하차반원들을 대상으로 한 복무규율과 임금 등 근로조건에 관한 준칙의 내용을 담고 있다면 노역계약서는 같은 법 제94조 소정의 취업규칙이라 할 것이고, 이는 회사의 종업원에게 적용되는 취업규칙과는 별도로 상하차반원에게 적용되는 것이기는 하나 당해 사업장에서 근로자의 직종의 특수성에 따라 근로자 일부에 적용되는 별도의 취업규칙을 정할 수 있는 것이고, 이 경우 2개의 취업규칙을 합한 것이 근로기준법 제94조 소정의 1개의 취업규칙으로 되는 것이다.

다. 퇴직금규정이 근속연수의 기산일을 실제 입사한 날이 아닌 그 후의 일자로 정함으로써 근로자에게 불리한 면이 있는가 하면 지급률을 단수제가 아닌 누진제로 정하여 근로자에게 유리한 면이 있는 경우, 위와 같은 규정에 의하여 계산된 금액이 근로기준법의 규정에 의하여 계산된 금액에 미달될 때 그 미달금액범위 내에서만 근로기준법에 위반되어 무효라고 할 것이지 기산일에 관한 규정만을 따로 떼어 내서 그 규정을 무효라고 할 것은 아니다.

【참조조문】

가. 근로기준법 제22조, 제46조 / 나. 같은 법 제94조 / 다. 같은 법 제20조, 제28조

【참조판례】

가. 대법원 1987.8.18. 선고 87다카474 판결(공1987,1456), 1990.11.27. 선고 89다카15939 판결(공1991,192), 1991.4.23. 선고 89다카32118 판결(공1991,1450) / 다. 대법원 1982.11.23. 선고 80다1340 판결(공1983,85), 1987.2.24. 선고 84다카1409 판결(공1987,506), 1990.11.27. 선고 90다카23868 판결(공1991,218)

【주문】·【이유】 전문 2,831자 · 펼쳐 보기

【원고, 상고인】 원고 1 외 1인 (소송대리인 변호사 이중광 외 1인)

【피고, 피상고인】 정리회사 신한제분주식회사 관리인 피고 (소송대리인 변호사 이원구)

【원심판결】 서울고등법원 1991.7.10. 선고 91나14286 판결

【주 문】

상고를 모두 기각한다.

상고비용은 원고들의 부담으로한다.

【이 유】 상고이유를 본다.

1. 상고이유 제1점에 대하여,

원심판결 이유에 의하면 원심은 소외 신한제분주식회사의 부평공장에서 상하차반원으로 있었던 원고들이 소외 회사의 취업규칙 및 근로기준법에 의하여 미지급 상여금, 연장근로수당, 휴일근로수당 및 연월차 휴가근로수당의 지급을 구함에 대하여 거시증거에 의하여 원고들을 비롯한 상하차반원들은 매년 그들의 반장에게 위임을 하여 소외 회사와 사이에 조작노역계약을 체결하여 왔는데, 위 계약은 상하차반원들에 대한 작업비는 당사자간에 합의된 품목별요율표(또는 품목별조작노임단가표)에 의하되, 위 요율단가는 근로기준법 소정의 제수당과 상여금 등을 포괄감안하여 책정된 것으로 하고 소외 회사의 종업원들에게 상여금을 지급할 때에는 상하차반원들에게도 1인당 1986. 및 1987.에는 금 10,000원, 1988.에는 금 100,000원을 100퍼센트로 기준하여 종업원과 동일한 회수만큼 지급하고, 매월19:00 이후의 작업에 대하여 수당으로 1978.에는 5퍼센트, 1979. 이후에는 50퍼센트를 위 요율단가에 가산지급하기로 하는 내용으로 조작노역계약이 체결된 사실을 인정한 다음, 기본임금을 미리 결정하지 아니하고 상여금과 근로기준법상의 제수당을 미리 합산한 일정금액을 근로자의 승낙하에 급여액으로 지급하는 내용의 위 계약은 근로자에게 불이익이 없고 제반사정에 비추어 정당하다고 인정되어 유효하므로 위 계약에 의한 노임 외에 따로 상여금 및 근로기준법상의 제수당 청구권이 있음을 전제로 하는 원고들의 주장은 이유 없다는 취지로 판시하였다.

근로기준법 제22조, 제46조 내지 제48조 등에 의하면 사용자는 근로계약체결시 근로자에 대하여 임금, 근로시간 기타의 근로조건을 명시하여야 하고 임금은 기본임금 외에 시간외 근로, 야간 및 휴일근로 등에 따르는 각종 수당을 지급하도록 규정하고 있으므로 근로계약에 의하여 기본임금을 결정하고 이에 따르는 제수당을 계산하여 합산하여야 함이 원칙이나, 근로시간 및 근로형태와 그업무의 성질 등을 참작하여 근로자의 승낙하에 제수당을 미리 기본임금에 합산한 일정액을 월급여액으로 지급하는 내용의 계약을 체결하였다고 하더라도 단체협약이나 취업규칙에 비추어 근로자에게 불이익이 없고, 제반사정에 비추어 정당하다고 인정될 때에는 그 계약은 유효하다고 할 것이다(당원 1987.8.18. 선고 87다카474 판결; 1991.4.23. 선고 89다카32118 판결 각 참조), 원고들과 소외 회사 간에 체결된 판시와 같은 조작노역계약의 효력에 대하여 원심이 같은 취지로 판시하였음은 정당하고 거기에 소론이 주장하는 바와 같은 근로기준법에 관한 법리오해의 위법이 있다할 수 없다. 논지는 이유 없다.

2. 상고이유 제2, 3점에 대하여,

원심판결 이유에 의하면 원심은 거시증거에 의하여 원고들을 비롯한 소외 회사 부평공장의 상하차반원들은 소외 회사의 종업원을 적용대상으로 하는 소외 회사의 취업규칙(갑 제1호증)상 종업원에 해당하지 아니한다는 사실을 인정한 다음, 따라서 원고들에 대한 임금은 위 취업규칙이 아닌 위 조작노역계약에 의하여 지급되어야 한다는 취지로 판시하였다.

기록에 비추어 보면 원고들을 비롯한 상하차반원은 위 취업규칙 소정의 종업원에 해당하지 아니한다는 원심의 사실인정은 수긍이 가고 거기에 소론이 지적하는 바와 같이 채증법칙에 위배되어 사실을 오인한 위법이 있다할 수 없으므로 이 점에 관한 논지는 이유 없고, 또한 근로기준법 제94조 소정의 취업규칙이라 함은 복무규율과 임금 등 근로조건에 관한 준칙의 내용을 담고 있으면 그 명칭을 불문하는 것인바, 위 조작노역계약서는 상하차반원들을 대상으로 한 복무규율과 임금 등 근로조건에 관한 준칙의 내용을 담고 있어 근로기준법 제94조 소정의 취업규칙이라 할 것이고, 이는 소외 회사의 종업원에게 적용되는 갑 제1호증의 취업규칙과는 별도로 상하차반원에게 적용되는 것이기는 하나 당해 사업장에서 근로자의 직종의 특수성에 따라 근로자 일부에 적용되는 별도의 취업규칙을 정할 수 있는 것이고, 이 경우, 2개의 취업규칙을 합한 것이 근로기준법 제94조 소정의 1개의 취업규칙으로 되는 것이다. 따라서 위 조작노역계약서가 취업규칙이 아님을 전제로 하여 위 소외 회사의 취업규칙(갑 제1호증)만이 소외 회사 부평공장의 근로자인 원고들에게도 당연히 적용되어져야 한다는 논지도 이유 없다.

3. 상고이유 제4점에 대하여,

퇴직금규정이 근속년수의 기산일을 실제 입사한 날이 아닌 그 후의 일자로 정함으로써 근로자에게 불리한 면이 있는가 하면 지급율을 단수제가 아닌 누진제로 정하여 근로자에게 유리한 면이 있는 경우, 위와 같은 규정에 의하여 계산된 금액이 근로기준법의 규정에 의하여 계산된 금액에 미달될 때 그 미달금액범위 내에서만 근로기준법에 위반되어 무효라고 할 것이지 기산일에 관한 규정만을 따로 떼어 내서 그 규정을 무효라고 할 것은 아니다(당원 1987.2.24. 선고 84다카1409 판결 참조).

따라서 원심이 위 조작노역계약서상의 퇴직금규정이 근로기준법에 위반되는지의 여부를 판단함에 있어서 위와 같은 법리에 따라 하였음은 정당하고 거기에 소론이 지적하는 바와 같이 근로기준법에 관한 법리를 오해한 위법이 있다할 수 없다. 위 논지도 이유 없다.

그러므로 상고를 모두 기각하고 상고비용은 패소자들의 부담으로 하기로 관여 법관의 일치된 의견으로 주문과 같이 판결한다.

대법관 박만호(재판장) 박우동 김상원 윤영철

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