Providing a physician’s face-to-face guidance to employees working long hours is an important part of measures to reduce overwork. Companies should have correct understanding about this system and necessary measures after receiving such guidance.
[1] System to receive face-to-face guidance from physicians
While it is most important to manage work hours appropriately to prevent overwork, there are situations where working for long hours is unavoidable. In such cases, companies are required to provide relevant workers with health guidance by medical professionals.
The face-to-face guidance system is aimed to have workers feeling accumulated fatigue due to long working hours with increased risk of health problems receive doctors’ advice. Physicians conduct interviews with such workers, examine their health and provide necessary instruction for them and their companies.
The following workers are subject to face-to-face guidance.
1. General workers (including those under a discretionary work system or in a managerial position)
Workers who have done overtime and holiday work exceeding 80 hours in a month, feel accumulated fatigue and wish to have a physician’s interview
2. Research and development workers
Workers who meet the criteria described in 1, or who have done overtime and holiday work exceeding 100 hours a month
3. Workers under the high-level professional worker system
Workers whose “weekly working hours subject to health management” exceed 40 hours and the excess is more than 100 hours a month
Companies must identify workers who fall under above descriptions and provide them with health guidance.
[2] Measures after receiving guidance
After an interview, company receives instruction from the physician about necessary measures, such as changing the place of work or assignments, or reducing work hours or frequency of late-night work.
In the case the physician recognized mental health problems at the interview, the company should also take appropriate measures by involving a psychiatrist, as needed.
Work-style reforms are increasing the importance of industrial doctors. Companies that have appointed industrial doctors are required to provide information about workers whose monthly overtime and holiday work exceed 80 hours, including their names and hours of overwork. Please take this opportunity and check if the procedures for receiving physician’s guidance or providing information to industrial doctors are appropriate.
[Reference]
The Labour Ministry, “Prevention of health problems from overwork”
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11303000/000553560.pdf
