*Know your rights – Part one:
Paid Flexible Holidays (年休 — ねんきゅう)
Your company is required by law to offer you a set number of flexible holidays based on the number of years service (days to be used at your discretion). Part timers are also covered by this law and their paid holidays are based on the number of days worked per week and the length of service (Article 39). Please see the chart below for a clear breakdown of days owed to you.
The paid holidays owed to you by your company are separate from the set holidays offered by the company (Obon, New Years).
In most cases, days set by the company cannot be subtracted from your own personal holidays and you must be allowed to used them when you wish. Many dispatch companies don’t even offer paid holidays during school break as there is no pay or a reduction in pay during this time. Make sure you understand the vacation time that your employer is obligated to provide you with.
| Days worked per week/year | Years Worked | ||||||
| 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 6.5 | |
| 5 days or 30 hrs/week | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
| 4 days/169-216 days | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 15 |
| 3 days/121-168 days | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 2 days/ 73-120 days | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| 1 day/48-72 days | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Remember, you can ask for paid holidays for the last two years under the Labour Standards Law, but the longer you wait, the more holidays you lose.
Unemployment Insurance – Know your rights (Part 2)
Health and Pension Insurance – Know your rights (Part 3)