April 13, 2020 Request for Consideration of Employment Maintenance and Telework related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

In light of the enormous impact of the novel coronavirus disease on the overall economy, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), in cooperation the parties concerned, including the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the Minister of the Environment requests related organizations to give proper consideration to employment maintenance and telework.

1. Overview

The impact of the novel coronavirus disease has stagnated the movement of people and goods. At the same time, some businesses are forced to reduce their business activities, which is greatly impacting the overall economy.
Under these circumstances, the government will take economic measures, including those with an unprecedented business scale of 108 trillion yen. All organizations can make use of these measures. In the meantime, MIC requests cooperation with the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and the Minister of the Environment to give proper consideration to the maintenance of the employment of fixed-term contract workers, part-time workers, temporary workers, and new graduates, since they are particularly vulnerable to sudden business changes.

2. Request content

• To make efforts to maintain the employment of workers by utilizing the government’s measures, including those for strong financing support and special measures for expanded employment adjustment subsidies, towards business continuation and employment maintenance. To maintain the employment of new employees as a future business force.
• To hire people who have lost their jobs and recruit new graduates from a medium- to long-term perspective.
• To give special consideration, such as establishing an early hire date, to new employees whose employment has been postponed.
• To provide maximum flexibility to those who are expected to graduate in fiscal 2020, such as briefing sessions, interviews, and employment exams that use a variety of communication methods, and flexible schedule settings.
• To give special consideration to the stabilization of the employment of people with disabilities, and give equal consideration to foreign workers and Japanese workers.
• To give special consideration to the stabilization of the employment of fixed-term contract workers, part-time workers, dispatch workers, and refrain from their dismissal or suspension of employment or the easy cancellation of their worker dispatch contracts. To consider the convenience of workers who live in employee dormitories and allow them to continue living there for a certain period after losing their jobs.
• To make efforts, such as the establishment of a paid special leave system, so that workers (including fixed-term contract workers, part-time workers, and temporary workers) will be able to have a good rest environment, promote the active use of telework and staggered commuting, and take other measures to prevent mass infection among employees. At such a time, give full consideration to pregnant female workers, workers who need to care for their children, the elderly, and those with underlying diseases.