"Nonregular workers at big firms left out of virus-related benefits", 4 Feb 2021

Many nonregular workers at large companies in Japan have not received compensation from their employers despite being forced to take leave amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, prompting Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to vow Thursday to end such discriminatory treatment.

A survey conducted last summer showed that the proportion of nonregular workers in Japan who did not receive compensation despite being told by their employers to take time off due to the pandemic was more than double the figure for regular staff.

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Despite the state offering subsidies for virus-hit businesses to maintain employment, many companies did not apply for them, partly due to the complicated application process, and refused to compensate employees, claiming they were not responsible for leave necessitated by the pandemic.

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But nonregular workers at large companies are not eligible for the scheme as it is assumed their employers will apply for the subsidies to maintain employment.

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According to the survey conducted in August by the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training, 33.4 percent of nonregular workers received no compensation for leave due to the pandemic, while the figure stood at 14.8 percent among regular employees.

The study also showed 68.3 percent of nonregular workers had been asked to take leave by their employers, higher than 60.8 percent among regular employees.

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