The first part showed a case of a company that received complaints regarding foreign employees staying in company dormitory. The company sought advice on whether creating specific rules for foreign staff is appropriate.The second part considers this issue further by seeking an expert’s opinion.
Read the first part here.
We discussed this matter with a social insurance and labor consultant who is familiar with affairs involving foreign workers. While teaching foreign workers as a qualified Japanese language teacher, the consultant has been watching situations of companies and foreign workers since the launch of the technical intern training system. The consultant offered expertise on both the system and actual operations as follows.
Roles of supervising organizations and issues
Under the current system, supervising organizations are responsible for explaining local manners and customs. Rather than employers, the agents need to give technical interns daily life guidance and coordinate with local communities. In reality, however, there are various issues as shown below.
- Most companies do not exactly know supervising organizations’ scope of responsibility.
- Supervising organizations do not fulfill their roles.
For reference, relevant laws stipulate supervising organizations’ roles and major responsibilities as below;
(1) Auditing
(2) On-site guidance
(3) Training after entering Japan
(4) Creation of technical intern training plans and instruction
(5) Signing of contract with sending organizations and job placement brokerage
(6) Protection and support for trainees
The social insurance and labor consultant’s approach
1. Created the Rules of Employment applicable to all employees
Rather than imposing separate rules, companies should establish the Rules of Employment that cover all employees.
2. Described rules in “hiragana”
Most technical interns have passed the N3-level (understand Japanese used in everyday situations) of the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, but may not understand technical terms or Chinese characters. Companies should prepare a separate Rules of Employment by using many “hiragana.”
3. Clarify roles of the company and supervising organization
Guidance on manners and living customs è supervising organization
Working conditions, employment rules è the company and its social insurance and labor consultant
Clarifying the scope helps both parties understand their responsibilities.
Summary
Behind the question of “Whether companies should create separate rules for foreign employees” lied the problem of inadequate understanding about supervising organizations’ roles.
- Providing guidance on manners and customs are supervising organizations’ responsibility.
- Companies should us the Rules of Employment that cover all employees.
- Making efforts to help foreign employees understand the rules easily, e.g. increased use of hiragana, is important.
By sorting out issues and solutions, companies will be able to provide an environment where foreign staff can work with comfort.
