Points to be noted in the Certificate of Employment for April 2025 Daycare Center Admission Applications

◆Address the issue of "the selection failure on purpose"

　The new format for employment certificates was established on September 30, and applications are being accepted on a rolling basis from October 1.

　The problem of "the selection failure on purpose" who apply to highly competitive daycare centers in order to extend their childcare leave has been raised, and action has been called for.

◆Changes in Forms

　The new form has the following five additional columns:

(1) Should childcare leave be shortened at the time of an offer of admission

(2) Should childcare extend

(3) Duration of single assignment (including planned)

(4) Remarks

(5) Parent's entry column (child's name, date of birth, facility name, check box regarding use/application status)

　In addition, some municipalities require companies to submit a separate sheet of paper with the status regarding night shifts, similar to a certificate of employment.

◆Requirements and procedures for extending the payment period of childcare leave benefits were also reviewed

　As a countermeasure against the above-mentioned "the selection failure on purpose," effective April 1, 2025, the procedure for extending the period of childcare leave benefits will be revised, and a copy of the employee's declaration and application for use of a daycare center, etc. will also be submitted to Hello Work (the Public Employment Security Office).

　In addition, as a condition for receiving the allowance, the director of Hello Work must recognize that the applicant's application to the municipality is a request to use childcare services at a daycare center in order to return to work as soon as possible.

　The provisions will apply to cases where the child involved in the childcare leave reaches 1 year or 1 year and 6 months of age on or after April 1, 2025, so it is advisable to inform those taking childcare leave who fall under this category.

Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare provides guidance to "spot work" application providers

The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare (MHLW) has issued a directive to an app provider that connects companies and workers to "spot work," a one-time, short-time job, after the company indefinitely suspended the use of the app by workers. The application is designed to prevent the use of the application indefinitely in the event that an individual fails to report to work without notice, or so-called "AWOL," and is in violation of the Employment Security Law.

Spot work, also called skim work, matches workers with employers via a smartphone app.

The number of users is growing rapidly, and according to the Spot Work Association, as of October of this year, the total number of workers registered with the four main services reached 20 million. The number has doubled in the past year.

In some cases, these applications have a policy that if an applicant fails to contact the company and is unable to commence work, they will then be unable to apply through the application process indefinitely.

On the other hand, the main application operators are licensed as "fee-charging employment agencies" by the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare. Based on the Employment Security Law, they must accept all job applications except those with illegal content.

Therefore, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) has instructed some app operators on the grounds that indefinite suspension of use for workers is in violation of the Employment Security Law.

Shigeru Wakita, professor emeritus at Ryukoku University made the following observation:  "It is only the companies that seek workers who enter into employment contracts that are able to impose sanctions on the worker. There is no legal basis for penalties such as suspending the use of the app by job seekers imposed by employment agencies that have no employment responsibilities.  Restricting the use of the app for late arrivals and cancellations is an attempt to secure convenient workers for the companies, which misunderstands the purpose of the employment agency system."

October 14, Asahi Newspaper