Many companies schedule regular health examinations for their employees in the autumn, but it is common to forget carrying out necessary procedures after checkups. This article covers what companies should do when workers received “physicians’ findings” and after checkups.
[1] Regular checkups
The Industrial Safety and Health Act and the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health require employers to provide workers with regular health examinations once in a period not exceeding a year (not exceeding six months in the case of workers engaged in late-night work). There are cases where employees hesitating to take physical, but workers are legally required to receive a checkup and are not allowed to refuse.
[2] Procedure for workers who received “physicians’ findings”
After a check-up, employees receive results, which may include physicians’ findings about abnormality in their health. If any problem was found, companies must hear a physician’s opinion on whether special measures are required for the employees to engage in normal work and describe in the examination result. If considered necessary based on a physician’s advice, companies should take measures, such as change the place of work or assignments, reduce work hours, limit late-night work, or report the physician’s opinion to the health committee.
[3] Re-examination, detailed examination
Companies may wonder about their responsibilities regarding workers who need further examination after a regular checkup. Unlike regular examinations described in [1], companies are not legally required to provide re-examination or in-depth work-up to workers. However, the Labor Ministry’s policy on the measures companies should take after health examinations states that companies are required to make efforts to recommend employees receive re-examination or work-up if needed.
Companies with 50 or more regular employees are also required to submit an annual checkup report to the Labor Standards Inspection Office without delay. From January 2025, the report must be submitted through the government’s electronic application system. Companies should prepare the system to become able to submit electronic report by next year.
[Reference]
The Labour Ministry, “Measures after regular employee checkup in accordance with the Industrial Safety and Health Act”
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/new-info/kobetu/roudou/gyousei/anzen/100331-1.html
“Items of the Reports of Worker’s Death, Illness or Injuries will be revised and electronic report will become mandatory from January 2025”
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/koyou_roudou/roudoukijun/denshishinsei_00002.html
“Guidelines on the measures that employers must take based on the results of health examinations (Revised on April 2017, Notice of the guidelines on measures regarding health examination results, No. 9)”
