The Japanese government plans to give parity to the benefits of part-time company workers and full-time employees, through a proposal to the Labor Ministry. Benefits previously only enjoyed by full-timers will be given to part-time workers if their job description and work structure matches a full-timer’s. A part-timer’s contract should, under the proposals, also effectively carry no term.
A Labor Policy Council will propose to abolish the no-term requirement. It is expected that the number of part-timers eligible for benefits will rise to 290,000 from 180,000 if the requirement is revoked. Part-timers will enjoy access to education and training programs and other employee benefits.
Companies will likely oppose the measures, seeing extra spending as a stumbling block.
