Labor & Employment Law

A collection of 63 posts
Slide summarising Japan’s Worker Dispatch Act: definition of dispatch vs service contract, three-year limits, equal-pay rules, Article 40-6 deemed-employment risk, and compliance checklist.
Labor & Employment Law

Understanding Japan's Worker Dispatch Act: Compliance Risks and Best Practices for Foreign Companies

TL;DR Japan’s Worker Dispatch Act imposes licensing, three-year tenure caps, equal-pay rules and a potent “deemed employment offer” sanction for illegal dispatch or disguised contracting. Foreign companies must structure outsourcing and temp-staff use carefully—tracking tenure, avoiding direct instruction, verifying agency licenses and aligning pay—to prevent automatic
10 min read
Slide outlining Japan’s Article 35 employee-invention flow: ownership options, procedural fairness steps, and reasonable-benefit models.
Intellectual Property Law

Employee Inventions in Japan: Ownership, “Reasonable Benefit,” and Best-Practice Procedures

TL;DR * Japan’s Patent Act lets employers claim rights to employee inventions if advance contracts or work rules so provide, but inventors still deserve a “reasonable benefit.” * Since 2016, courts focus on procedural fairness—consultation, disclosure, and feedback—when judging whether benefit levels are reasonable. * Clear, transparent internal rules
10 min read
Slide illustrating Japan’s digital wage framework: ¥1 million cap, guarantee scheme, fee-free cash access, and employer consent flow.
Payments Regulation

Payroll Evolution in Japan: Understanding Digital Wage Payments via Fund Transfer Service Providers

TL;DR * From April 2023, Japanese employers may, with employee consent, deposit wages into accounts at MHLW-designated Fund Transfer Service Providers (FTSPs). * Designated FTSPs must cap balances at ¥1 million, guarantee full repayment on insolvency, offer monthly fee-free cash access, and meet strict security and reporting standards. * Employers must sign
8 min read
Slide summarising Japan’s 2023 Supreme Court METI transgender restroom case: facts, dignity-first reasoning, employer duty of care and compliance checklist for inclusive policies.
Labor & Employment Law

A Landmark Ruling for Transgender Rights in Japan: The METI Restroom Access Case and Employer Obligations

TL;DR * Japan’s Supreme Court (11 Jul 2023) held that forcing a transgender METI employee to use distant restrooms was an unlawful abuse of discretion, stressing dignity and concrete evidence over abstract “discomfort.” * Employers’ general duty to maintain a safe, non-discriminatory workplace now clearly covers gender-identity accommodation; blanket bans
8 min read
Slide comparing compensation for regular, fixed-term and post-retirement workers in Japan: Supreme Court factors, 2023 Nagoya case takeaways and employer compliance checklist.
Labor & Employment Law

Hiring in Japan: Fixed-Term & Post-Retirement Workers—Avoiding “Unreasonable Disparity” Claims

TL;DR * Japan’s Part-Time & Fixed-Term Employment Act bars “unreasonable disparities” in pay and benefits versus comparable regular staff. * Supreme Court precedent (Nagasawa 2018; Nagoya Driving School 2023) shows courts will dissect each pay component and negotiation history—simple percentage cuts post-retirement are risky. * Employers must document duty differences,
10 min read
Slide summarising Japan’s workplace human-rights developments: pandemic lessons, 2023 Supreme Court transgender restroom ruling, and inclusive-policy checklist for employers.
Labor & Employment Law

Human Rights in Japan’s Modern Workplace: Crisis Lessons, Transgender Rights & Inclusive Policies

TL;DR * Japan’s pandemic response and the 2023 Supreme Court restroom case illustrate how crisis measures and individual rights must be balanced in employment settings. * The Court held that vague discomfort of colleagues cannot override a transgender employee’s gender-identity rights, signalling stricter scrutiny of workplace restrictions. * Employers should
7 min read