52 HOUR WORK WEEK SYSTEM

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When first implementing the shortened 52 hour work week system, the government had excluded companies from certain fields that require employees to often work extra hours. However starting today, the recently introduced workweek system will be implemented at businesses that have been given exemption. Here's more

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Starting July 1, the 52-hour workweek system will go into effect at various industries including colleges, public bus operators as well as broadcasting and financial companies. Firms that hire more than 300 employees are subject to the changes. 21 industries were excluded from exemptions of the shorter workweek, after the labor standards act was revised last March. The number of the newly affected businesses amounted to roughly 1,000 as of last May. They hire 1.06 million workers in total. However, it appears difficult to implement the shorter workweek for sectors like public bus, financial and education services, which often require employees to put in extra hours regularly. Still, the Labor Ministry is confident the shorter workweek system will be operated smoothly at most industries. The ministry will give a three-month grace period to bus companies that submit plans to introduce the 52-hour workweek system. The grace period will also be given to businesses that are in negotiation with labor over the introduction of a flexible work hour system as well as companies that need to run the flexible work week system for more than three months before related laws are revised. The ministry will focus on helping employers adopt the shorter workweek system smoothly, rather than cracking down on violations. Next year, the 52-hour workweek system will expand to firms that have more than 50 but less than 300 employees, and then to those hiring fewer than 50 workers in 2021.