The average number of days South Korean workrs will spend their summer vacation is slightly up from last year to reach 3.8 days, according to a survey of the Korea Enterprises Federation.

According to its survey of 793 local firms with five or more employees, 58 percent of companies with 300 or more employees said they would allow employees to take five days or more for their summer vacations. Around 51.3 percent of companies with less than 300 workers said they plan to have workers to take a three-day summer vacation.

Local companies plan to encourage their employees to use up their paid leave this year. About 63 percent of the companies plan to recommend their employees to use up their annual paid time off, and increase from 52.7 percent last year.

Around 50 percent of companies said they decided to encourage paid leave to save on expenses provided when employees do not use annual leave.

Meanwhile, the proportion of local companies providing summer vacation expenses to employees decreased to 48.4 percent this year, from 54.5 percent -- largely contributable to the sluggish economy.

Around 76 percent of companies surveyed said they are experiencing an economic slowdown.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)