Can you help me?

Q: I recently became unemployed. Can I claim unemployment benefits?

 A: Employment Insurance is intended to provide financial stability for a worker in the event he or she becomes unemployed. Appropriate allowances are provided through this program. In principle, it is required that all foreign workers be enrolled in the Employment Insurance system, with the exception of part time workers, employees who work less than 20 hours per week, and employees on contracts of less than one year. This has been recently been changed to include employees on contracts totaling more than 6 months.

By law a worker has the right to request their employer to insure them. To receive the allowance, the worker must have participated in the Employment Insurance program for at least 6 months (previously 12 months) - retroactive to the date the worker quit the company; if the worker is dismissed or if the employer is bankrupt the worker is eligible after 6 months on the program. The premium is split between the employer and the insured at specific rates. Generally the employee pays the sum of 4/1000 of their income (5/1000 in some industries).

- Changes to the Unemployment Insurance Law as of April 1, 2009

You can apply for an unemployment allowance at your local Public Employment Security Office (also called "Hello Work"). You qualify for the allowance if you are fired or made redundant, if the company doesn't renew your contract, or if you leave the job at the end of your contract. If you voluntarily leave your job before the end of your contract, depending upon your reason for resigning, you will have to wait for between one and three months before receiving any allowance.

    How to Apply

1. If possible, when you are still employed, make sure you have a valid Employment Insurance Certificate (雇用保険被保険者証 koyo-hoken-hihokenshasho).

2. Make sure you check and sign a “koyo-hoken-hihokensha-shikaku-soshitsu-todoke” (雇用保険被保険者資格喪失届) and a “rishoku-shomeisho” (離職証明書) before your employer submits them to Hello Work.

3. After finishing your employment you should receive (in some cases have to get) your “koyo-hoken-hihokensha-rishokuhyo”  (雇用保険被保険者離職票) from your employer. If your employer refuses to give it to you or is un-reachable, please consult your local Hello Work.

4. When you register at Hello Work you should bring the “koyo-hoken-hihokensha-rishokuhyo”, your Employment Insurance Certificate “koyo-hoken-hihokenshasho”, your Alien Registration Card, your inkan, a bank book registered in your name (not a postal account), and 2 passport photos (3cm x 2.5cm).

Once you have applied to search for work, you may receive acknowledgment of your unemployed status and receive benefits. Upon receiving unemployment insurance benefits you are required to visit your local Hello Work, once every four weeks to confirm your status of employment and to participate in seminars.

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 The Nagoya Employment Service Center for Foreigners

If you are qualified and wish to work, the Public Employment Security Office (Hello Work) can provide information on job availability, offer advice, and introduce job seekers to jobs at no charge. There are 5 offices in Nagoya City, one of which - The Nagoya Employment Service Center for Foreigners - specifically caters for foreigners. The Center provides work related advice and introduces possible job opportunities to the following foreign nationals living in Japan: those who have the appropriate status of residence to engage in work, students seeking to work in Japan after graduation, and those seeking jobs in special or technical fields.

■ Open: Weekdays 08:30 - 17:00. Assistance in English now available Monday to Friday (09:30 -12:00 & 13:00 -16:30).

■ Closed: Weekends and holidays

■ Tel: 052-264-1901

■ Access: Located on the 12F of the Chunichi Building; 1 minute from Sakae Station, exit 13 (see map).

■ Items Required: Passport and Alien Registration Card

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 How long can I receive benefits for?

If an insured person becomes unemployed after quitting his or her job and is unable to find a new job despite having the desire to work, that person can receive an unemployment allowance. Depending on the worker's age and years of service, the Basic Allowance (Kihon Teate) 基本手当て, gives the worker 50-80 percent (%) of his/her daily wage (limited to a pre-determined maximum amount depending on the worker’s age) for 90 to 360 days.

For example, if a worker was employed by the same employer for 1 year, is between the ages of 30 to 44 years old and lost their job, then they may receive unemployment insurance benefits for a period of 90 days and receive upto 7070 Yen per day before taxes (August 2004 level). There is also a ‘technical skills learning allowance’, a ‘lodging allowance’, an ‘injury/sickness allowance’, a ‘job starters' allowance’, and an ‘education and training allowance’.

Remember that if you choose to quit your place of employment you might have to wait for between one and three months before receiving any allowance. How many days you can receive the allowance for depends on your age and how long you have participated in the system (see below).

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Changes to the Unemployment Insurance Law as of April 1, 2009
In response to the worsening employment situation, the Japanese Diet has recently approved changes to the Unemployment Insurance Law in order to widen the safety net for temporary workers.

The following 5 major changes have been made:

1) In order to create a stronger safety net for temporary workers:
- In order to qualify for payments, a worker must have participated in the Employment Insurance program for at least 6 months (previously 12 months); making it the same as for dismissed or laid-off workers.
- Before April 1, 2009 it was required that all foreign workers be enrolled in the Employment Insurance system, with the exception of part time workers, employees who work less than 20 hours per week, and employees on contracts of less than one year. This has been changed to include employees on contracts totaling more than 6 months.

2) Better Support for when Finding Employment Becomes Difficult:
- If a worker has been made unemployed due to dismissal or non-renewal of contract and due to their age or region finding employment becomes difficult, the benefit payment period will be extended by 60 days; for example the basic 90-day benefit period would be extended to 150 days.

3) Better Incentives to find get back to work:
- To reward early re-employment, the “Early Re-employment Allowance” (sai-shushoku-teate) has been increased from 30% to 40%, and in some cases to 50%.
- The Work Preparation Allowance (常用就職支度手当　joyo-shushoku-shitaku-teate) has been expanded to include freelance workers over the age of 45 (年長フリーター) and its rate has been increased from 30% to 40%.

4) Maternity Leave payments have been revised.
- The temporary increase in the maternity leave payment rate from 40% to 50 % has been extended until March 31, 2010.
- Previously, the maternity leave payment has been split between maternity leave and when the worker has returned to work. The maternity leave payment will now be paid in full during the worker's maternity leave for those workers who start maternity leave AFTER April 1, 2010.

5. Lower Unemployment Insurance Deduction Rates
From April 1, 2009 until March 31, 2010, the amount of unemployment insurance deducted from a worker's salary will be lowered from 1.2% to 0.8%.

 - Please see the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare website for the original Japanese press releases.