Revision of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's "Q&A on the Payment of Injury and Sickness Allowance for New-type Coronavirus Infections".

◆The "Q&A on the Payment of Injury and Sickness Allowance for New Coronavirus Infections" has been revised. 

For example,

Q: If an insured person is unable to work due to the aftereffects of a new type of coronavirus infection contracted for reasons other than work-related injury, will he/she be entitled to receive sickness benefits?

A: May be eligible for injury and illness benefits.

Q: Is it necessary to attach a "certificate of accommodation and home treatment" issued by a public health center, etc. when applying for an injury and illness allowance?

A: With regard to "accommodation and home treatment certificates," it is not appropriate to uniformly request such a certificate from insurers (the entities operating the health insurance business), as they are taking measures such as simplifying the administrative burden on medical professionals and public health centers.

If the insured did not visit a medical institution for unavoidable reasons and cannot attach a doctor's opinion, the insurer will pay the injury and illness allowance if the insured is deemed unable to work due to medical treatment by stating so in the application form and attaching a document from the employer certifying that the insured was not engaged in labor for medical treatment during the relevant period.

Q: If a "certificate of accommodation and home treatment" is submitted as a document related to an application for the provision of injury and illness benefits, can this be treated as a doctor's opinion?

A: A "certificate of accommodation and home treatment" certified by a physician, etc. who conducted the medical treatment, not by a person in charge at a local government or health center, etc., may be handled as a physician's opinion letter.

Q: If I contracted a new type of coronavirus infection overseas and cannot attach a physician's opinion, what should I use to determine the period of inability to work?

A: In cases where the insured person did not visit a medical institution for unavoidable reasons and cannot attach a doctor's opinion, the insurer will pay the injury or illness allowance if the insured person is recognized as being unable to work by stating so in the application form and attaching a document from the employer certifying that the insured person did not work for medical treatment during the relevant period.

About reference checks

 

1. What was the period of time you worked together with the applicant, and what position did he/she hold?

2. What were the main duties and responsibilities carried out by him/her?

3. How would you assess his/her performance in the job?

4. How would you describe his/her attitude to work?

5. What are some of his/her major project achievements?

6. How would you describe his/her organizational skills? How does he/she work under pressure/handle stress?

7. Given the opportunity, would you like to re-hire him/her?

◆What is Reference Checking?

　Reference checking is a part of the hiring process in which the hiring company verifies the authenticity of a candidate's background. The reference checks are conducted with the candidate's current or former supervisors to verify the candidate's background and accomplishments as indicated by the candidate during the selection process. This reduces the risk of mismatches after the hiring process.

In Japan, an increasing number of companies are introducing this system in mid-career hiring situations, where the impact of mismatches is significant. The method differs from company to company, but in many cases, with the consent of the job seeker himself/herself, the company will ask for references, and the company confirms the references directly by phone or in writing.

◆Difficult to detect a mismatch only by interviewing

　According to the "Survey of Awareness and Actual Conditions Concerning Reference Checking (HR Managers)", conducted among businesspersons nationwide who belong to human resources departments, 78.3% of respondents answered "difficult" when asked if they think it is difficult to identify talented people who will play an active role during their company's hiring interviews. Reference checks can complement these difficulties. According to the survey, 75.5% of companies that have introduced reference checks have "realized" a reduction in mismatches in hiring.

◆Gauging the advantages and disadvantages of implementation

　On the other hand, some say that reference checks are time-consuming and costly, and that they cannot guarantee the authenticity of the references' answers. It is necessary to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of reference checks and make a comprehensive decision on whether to conduct reference checks. One approach is to start with cases where the impact of mismatches is particularly large, such as hiring for managerial positions or for immediate employment. For example, "I hired someone, but they were not the right person for the job. We want to prevent mismatches for sure next time.” Companies that have this in mind may want to consider introducing this system.