Nonregular workers around the nation will face either layoffs or promotions to the status of regular workers starting Wednesday.

Under the current nonregular workers law enforced since July 2007, most companies are required to transfer part-time and contract workers to regular status after two years of full employment at a single workplace, or lay them off. The law will be applied to all workplaces starting Wednesday.

The ruling and opposition parties held negotiations on revising the law but failed to narrow differences.

Lawmakers discussed extending the two-year temporary employment period to four years or postponing implementation of the law, but failed to reach an agreement.

The Labor Ministry estimates about 700-thousand to one million nonregular workers could face layoffs.

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