Let's start preparing for the enforcement of the revised Child Care and Family Care Leave Law!

 

◆Major Changes in the Childcare Leave System

The revised Child Care and Family Care Leave Law will come into effect on April 1 next year, and in addition to the establishment of a new "Papa Ikukyuu" leave, it will be necessary to provide workers with information on the company's childcare leave system and confirm their intentions on whether or not to take childcare leave, and it will be possible to take childcare leave in installments.

Naturally, it is necessary to review the childcare and nursing care leave regulations and maintain internal forms regarding the use of the system, but that is not all.

◆A labor-management agreement must also be concluded

Under the amendment, the requirements for taking childcare leave will be relaxed for part-timers, etc., who are currently not eligible to take childcare leave depending on the period of employment. Therefore, it is necessary to conclude a labor-management agreement and decide whether those who have been continuously employed for less than one year are eligible to take childcare leave or not.

◆Preparation of materials to inform workers about the company's system is also necessary

As mentioned above, after the enforcement of the revised law, when a worker or her spouse requests for pregnancy or childbirth, the employer is obliged to provide information about the system and confirm the intention to take childcare leave. It is not enough to just provide the regulations, but you also need to provide information on where to apply for childcare leave, childcare leave benefits, and how to handle social insurance premiums during the leave period.

If the documents are already prepared, it is only necessary to check whether they meet the prescribed requirements, but if they are newly prepared, it is also necessary to check what kind of system the company has in place and whether there are any oversights that are not explicitly stated.

Support for Balancing Diabetes and Work

 

◆Increasing number of diabetics

According to the 2019 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the percentage of people with "strongly suspected diabetes" (those who said their HbA1c was 6.5% or higher or that they were being treated for diabetes; 19.7% of men and 10.8% of women) was the highest since 2009. This is the highest percentage since 2009. Currently, it is estimated that there are about 10 million people with both diabetes and pre-diabetes, and the number is increasing.

◆Work and diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a disease that allows people to continue to work as usual if attention is paid to its treatment, but if left untreated, it can lead to severe illness and serious complications. Continued treatment is of utmost importance.

However, of the working-age population (20-59 years old) with "strongly suspected diabetes," approximately 40% are not receiving treatment (National Health and Nutrition Survey, 2017). The top reason cited for this is "busy at work," and companies are expected to provide support so that treatment can continue appropriately.

◆To ensure that workers can continue their treatment

Diabetes treatment requires regular visits to the doctor, generally every two weeks to three months. A hygienic environment and privacy at the workplace are required, for example, when self-injection is required for medication therapy. In addition, although diabetes does not develop or worsen solely due to lifestyle, prejudice and misunderstanding around them may hinder treatment by making it difficult to offer necessary support. It is advisable to consider individual measures while listening to the opinions of their doctor, industrial physician, etc., and to provide appropriate information to supervisors and colleagues.

Color Universal Design for correctly conveying information to all people

◆What is "Color Universal Design"?

"Color Universal Design" refers to "the design of products from the user's point of view so that information can be conveyed as accurately as possible to all people, taking into consideration their diverse color vision" (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Color Universal Design Guidelines). For example, people with abnormal color vision, people with retinal diseases such as glaucoma, and people with cataracts may have difficulty distinguishing colors, and therefore may not be able to obtain appropriate information using colors depending on the color scheme. Are you able to convey the information you are sending out in your color flyers, guides, and websites in an easy-to-understand and correct manner?

◆"The Importance of Correctly Conveying "Information Using Color

According to the Japanese Ophthalmological Society, one in 20 men and one in 500 women in Japan have abnormal color vision. As the development of painting, printing, and computer technology has led to the rapid shift from black-and-white displays to color, it can be said that the need for correctly conveying information using color is increasing, and it is necessary to be mindful of design that allows all users to obtain information equally.

◆Let's start by checking the existing media.

As a first step in our efforts toward color universal design, let's first check existing information media. As a simple method, it is sufficient to copy and print the information in black and white and check whether it can be read properly. There are tools for checking how each color vision type looks in both printed and web-based media, so it is recommended to make use of these tools as well. If a problem is found, we will work to correct it.

With just a little effort, the power of information dissemination can change dramatically. Let's consider the ingenuity and care to provide information that are easy to understand for all people.

◆MHLW partially amended the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations

It has become clear that the majority of people who are identified as having abnormalities in the color vision test are able to perform their work without any problems.    

However, there have been cases where employers have restricted the employment of people who are identified as having abnormalities in the color vision test, even when there are no special problems with their work.

In July 2001, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) partially amended the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, etc., and abolished the color vision test as an item of medical checkup at the time of employment, which came into effect on October 1, 2001.

When hiring workers, rather than attaching job conditions such as "color blindness is not acceptable," please make sure to describe in detail the nature of the work that involves the use of color, and carefully consider the necessity of medical examinations, including color vision tests, in relation to the nature of the job at the time of employment selection, so as not to lead to discrimination in employment.

Survey on Women's Career Awareness

 

In the five years since Act on the Promotion of Female Participation and Career Advancement in the Workplace was enacted, there has been an urgent social need for local governments and companies to promote women in management positions, and various measures have been taken to encourage men to actively participate in housework and childcare and to create opportunities for women to improve their business skills.

On the other hand, what do working women think about their own promotion to management positions?

Hakuhodo Inc. conducted a "Women's Career Awareness Survey" of men and women in their 20s and 30s in June 2021, and here are the main findings of the survey.

＜Key points of the survey results>

(1) Among women in their 20s and 30s, 30% want to be in management positions and 40% want to be leaders and more than half of men do not want to be in management. More than half of men want to be in both categories.

(2) The reasons for not wanting to be in a managerial position that differed greatly between women and men were "I'm not good at standing out and attracting attention," "I'm not good at setting big policies and guidelines," and "I'm not good at leading a team," as well as concerns about team building.

(3) For women, the number of items that the "ideal manager/leader" should have is higher than for men.

(4) As for women's specific image of the ideal manager/leader, the most common responses were "motivating subordinates" and "watching over subordinates from an appropriate distance," with "nurturing and caring for subordinates" in mind. Men, on the other hand, aim for "smooth execution of work" by sharing and organizing work with subordinates.

(5) The reasons given by women for wanting to become a manager or leader were those that emphasized interpersonal relationships, such as "being relied on by subordinates and others" and "expanding internal and external networks. The top reason for men was to increase their own influence, such as "higher social status" and "opinion is more likely to be accepted.

Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare releases first survey results on "rules for conversion from fixed-term to indefinite term contract"

 

◆First Survey on conversion from fixed-term to indefinite term contract

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has released the results of its "Survey on Fixed-term Labor Contracts," revealing for the first time the actual status of the "rules for conversion from fixed-term to indefinite term contract" (newly established under the revised Labor Contract Law enacted in April 2013), which gives fixed-term contract workers the right to apply for an indefinite contract if their contracts are renewed for a total of more than five years. The survey was conducted on 5,662 business establishments employing five or more people as of April 2020 and 6,670 workers as of January 2021, respectively.

◆Approximately 30% of respondents exercised their right to apply for a change of employment

According to the survey results, the percentage of establishments employing fixed-term contract workers was 41.7%. Of those, 27.8% had the right to apply for a change of employment to an indefinite-term contract in fiscal 2018-2019 and exercised that right, while 65.5% were still employed without exercising the right to apply for a change of employment. By size of establishment, 39.9% of establishments with 1,000 or more employees, 22.2% of establishments with 300-999 employees, 22.3% of establishments with 100-299 employees, 17.1% of establishments with 30-99 employees, and 8.6% of establishments with 5-29 employees exercised their right to apply for conversion from fixed-term to indefinite term contract. The higher the number of employees, the higher the percentage of establishments exercising their right to conversion to indefinite term contract.

◆What are the reasons for not wanting to convert to indefinite term?

On the other hand, in the survey of fixed-term contract workers, 18.9% of respondents answered "Yes, I would like to," 22.6% answered "No (I would like to continue with a fixed-term contract)," and 53.6% answered "I don't know. The most common reason for wanting to convert to an indefinite term was "because it will eliminate employment uncertainty," followed by "because it will make it easier to make long-term career prospects and future life plans," and "because wages and working conditions can be expected to improve afterwards. The most common reason given for not wanting to work was "Because I am old and am rehired after retirement," followed by "Because I am not dissatisfied with the current situation," and "Because it would be meaningless if I only lost my contract period."

◆40% of respondents don't know about the "rules for conversion to indefinite term contract”

17.8% of respondents said they had heard of the "conversion rules," while 39.9% said they knew nothing about it or had never heard of it, indicating that 40% of respondents were unaware of the system itself.

It has been eight years since the new rules for conversion was established, but the system is still not fully recognized. In March, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare started a study group to review the rules for conversion to indefinite term contract, and discussions are continuing. It is hoped that both fixed-term contract workers and companies will understand the content of the rules and that the rules will be properly implemented.

Amendment to the Health Insurance Law changes the total amount of Injury and Sickness Allowance and exemption from social insurance premiums during maternity leave

The "Act for Partial Revision of the Health Insurance Act, etc. for the Purpose of Establishing a Social Security System for All Generations" was passed and enacted by the 204th Diet and promulgated on June 11.

The following are some of the major revisions.

In addition to that,

◆Totalization of the payment period of Injury and Sickness Allowance (effective from January 1, 2022)

Injury and Sickness Allowance is paid when a person takes a leave of absence to recover from an illness or injury caused by reasons other than work, and when certain requirements are met. This does not mean that you will be paid for one year and six months, but even if you return to work during the one year and six months, and then are unable to work again due to the same illness or injury, the period of return will be included in the one year and six months. If you are unable to work for more than one year and six months after the start of payment, you will not receive the Injury and Sickness Allowance even if you are unable to work.

The amendment is to make the payment period total so that if there is a period of time when the payment is not made due to attendance at work, the payment can be extended to cover that period (payment for a total of one year and six months from the date when the payment started). The amendment was made in response to the fact that there are cases where a person works while taking a leave of absence for medical treatment for a long period of time, such as repeated hospitalization for cancer treatment.

◆Revision of the system for insured persons with optional and continued coverage (effective from January 1, 2022)

The system for optional and continued health insurance coverage allows those insured under the health insurance system to continue to be insured for up to two years after retirement, if they choose.

This amendment is a review of the basis for calculating premiums for insured persons with optional and continued coverage (if a health insurance association stipulates in its rules, the previous standard monthly remuneration can be used as the basis for calculating premiums for insured persons with optional and continued coverage whose previous standard monthly remuneration is higher than the average standard monthly remuneration of all insured persons of the association). In addition to the above, the system allows for disqualification upon application by the insured.

◆Revision of requirements for exemption from insurance premiums during childcare leave (effective from October 1, 2022)

The exemption from social insurance premiums during childcare leave is a system whereby if you are currently on childcare leave as of the last day of the month, you are exempt from the insurance premiums (including bonus premiums) for that month. Therefore, for example, even if you take two weeks of childcare leave during the month, if the leave period does not include the last day of the month, you will not be eligible for the exemption.

The amendment is to exempt the premiums for the relevant month if the childcare leave is taken for two weeks or more within the month, even if the childcare leave period does not include the end of the month. In addition, the insurance premiums for bonuses will be exempted only when the childcare leave exceeds one month.

The requirements for the insured period of childcare leave benefits will be partially changed on September 1, 2021

The requirements for the period of insured service for the "Childcare Leave Benefit" will be partially changed on September 1. As a result, even if you did not meet the requirements in the past, you may be eligible for the benefits. In particular, those who have been on maternity leave for about a year after starting work may be eligible for this benefit, so please check once.

Period of insured persons for childcare leave benefits in principle

Current

There must be at least 12 full months with 11 or more days of basic wage payment (working days) in the two years prior to the date of commencement of childcare leave.

After revision

Even if the above requirements are not met during the insured period, if there are 12 or more full months with 11 or more days of basic wage payment (working days) during the two years prior to the date of start of maternity leave, the insured period requirements for the payment of childcare leave benefits shall be fulfilled.