Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will implement 5,990 cases of overtime guidance within 45 hours per month in FY2025
Quick Look
- The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced that in fiscal 2025, it had implemented 5,990 cases of guidance requiring overtime work of up to 45 hours per month.
- Although the guidance was canceled across the board from September, guidance was continued in 6,717 cases regarding overtime work exceeding 80 hours per month.
- Investigations of workplaces suspected of long working hours found a total of 12,811 cases that led to guidance.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
According to the 36 Agreement based on the Labor Standards Act, overtime work is capped at 45 hours per month, but with special clauses added it is possible to work up to less than 100 hours per month. Long working hours are close to the standards for recognition of workers' compensation for brain and heart diseases.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced on the 15th that there were 5,990 cases of guidance issued by the Labor Standards Inspection Office in fiscal 2025 requiring companies to limit overtime work to 45 hours or less per month. Starting in September, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare canceled its guidance to uniformly suppress cases within 45 hours, prompting protests from labor groups.
Overtime can be up to 45 hours per month if labor and management conclude a ``36 Agreement'' based on the Labor Standards Act, and up to less than 100 hours per month if an exceptional ``special clause'' is included.
An investigation into workplaces suspected of long working hours revealed 12,811 cases that led to guidance. Of these, there were 5,990 cases in which the hours exceeded 45 hours but were less than 80 hours a month, and the request was made that the hours should be kept within 45 hours.
Guidance continues for those over 80 hours.
On the other hand, there were 6,717 cases of guidance for more than 80 hours per month. The company says it will continue to provide guidance on overtime work, saying that it is close to the standard for work-related injuries caused by brain and heart diseases.
36 Even though we have not concluded an agreement...
Open Questions
- Why did you stop teaching for less than 45 hours a month?
- What is the actual situation at workplaces that apply special provisions?
- Are there any changes to the teaching policy going forward?
