Labor and Employment
Many foreign clients that do business in Japan find Japanese laws related to employment and labor to be relatively inflexible. Terminating employment is often considered more difficult in Japan compared to other jurisdictions. Laws and regulations on work hours, overtime pay, safety measures, or provision of services of the employees for the benefit of a third party employer, just to name a few issues, are extremely detailed and at times arduous. We have a wide range of expertise in employment-related laws, with a particular focus on advising foreign employers in Japan.
Human Resources Management
Some clients that operate worldwide face the dilemma of adopting its global human resources policy with its operations in Japan, due to the requirements under Japanese employment laws and regulations. It is important to carefully customize internal rules and policies at the outset. Moreover, laws and regulations on employment agreements have often been amended in recent years. Accordingly, we provide support in the preparation of such rules and policies, including work rules, wage rules, benefits, and employment agreements, as well as in employment-related filings with the labor authorities, relying on the most recent precedents to ensure compliance with Japanese laws.
Termination of Employment
We provide advice on how to terminate employment contracts, which must be conducted with careful attention, including the event of lay-offs or redundancies. Our expertise ensures you can avoid disputes to the furthest extent possible, and assists you in achieving your objectives with respect to the termination.
Government Inspection
We provide advice in reaction to government inspections carried out by the labor standards inspection office, and to orders or instructions issued by this entity.
Litigation and Dispute Resolution
We provide advice in reaction to allegations by current or former employees related to workplace harassment, unlawful dismissal, or other misconduct in the workplace. We also provide support in investigating actual or alleged misconduct of employees, such as breach of corporate trade secrets, and in exploring remedial measures where necessary or appropriate. We will provide first class advice in handling these disputes in or out of court, carefully listening to your needs and specifically addressing your concerns.