In managing labor and personnel affairs, it is crucial to keep up with latest information on relevant legal amendments. Recently, the government has been implementing various changes to laws and regulations, including major amendments, as part of the work-style reform. In this article, we take a look at legal amendments planned in the coming years.
1. Major amendments
The below chart is a list of major law amendments currently scheduled. Many of them will be enforced in phases according to company sizes. Some amendments require companies to revise work rules and submit to the Labor Standard Office. Please check carefully and make preparations as needed.
Scheduled law amendments
| Implementation timing | |
| 2022.04 | Mandatory requirements for companies to improve childcare leave environment, notify workers of the program individually and confirm their intentions; relaxation of conditions for fixed-term workers. |
| Requirement for general employers to formulate an action plan based on the law to promote women in the workplace (companies with 101 or more employees) | |
| Mandatory requirements for companies to set anti-power harassment measures in the workplace (small- and medium-sized companies) | |
| 2022.10 | Social insurance (for those working 20+ hours per week) target expansion (companies with 101+ employees) |
| Establishment of a new program for childcare leave upon childbirth | |
| Changes to employment insurance childcare benefits | |
| Changes in social insurance payment exemptions during childcare leave | |
| 2023.04 | Requirement of minimum 50% extra wage payments for overtime exceeding 60 hours per month (small- and mid-sized companies) |
| Mandatory disclosure of the status of the use of childcare leave (companies with 1,001+ employees) | |
| 2024.04 | Abolition of the exemption of overtime ceilings for construction companies, vehicle driving services, medical doctors, etc. |
| 2024.10 | Social insurance (for those working 20+ hours per week) target expansion (companies with 51+ employees) |
| 2025.04 | Reduction in the percentages of elderly workers’ continuous employment benefits |
2. Expansion of the companies subject to social insurance enrollment
For some companies, expansion of the target of social insurance might require drastic action. From October 2022, companies with at least 101 employees covered by the pension program will be required to enroll workers who satisfy the conditions, including 20 or more standard working hours per week, in social insurance program. For example, if an employee starts working under a one-year contract from April 2022 with 25 standard working hours per week, the worker does not meet the social insurance conditions at the beginning of the contract, but enrollment will be required for the period after October 1, 2022.
Since many workers prefer not to be enrolled in social insurance through the companies, it is essential to explain changes about the system during job interviews and set working conditions at the time of hiring.
There is also a change in the social insurance requirement for fixed-term workers. Currently, the rule stipulates that “the period of employment is expected to be one year or more.” From October 2022, this condition will be changed to: “the period of employment is expected to be more than two months.” Companies subject to the expansion of social insurance target should also be careful of this point.
Some of the amendments require changes in work rules (or rules on childcare and caregiver leave.) Please check which changes require immediate action, create a schedule and make preparations well in advance.
Reference
The Health, Labour Welfare Ministry’s website (Japanese)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/tekiyoukakudai/
The content is based on laws and regulations as of the creation of this article.
