There are hurdles in the way for contract workers. For one thing, our member’s contract had a clause that said it was non-renewable, despite the contract being renewed many times already. The other problem was that the contract is a few days short of a year.

At first the application was denied. This is where the union was able to step in. The union convinced the employer to write a letter assuring Hello Work that our member had a job, not only when she finished leave but for 2 years (as requested by Hello Work). To the company’s credit, they fully cooperated with the union and the member. This resulted in Hello Work approving the Childcare Leave Allowance (Ikuji Kyugyo Kihon Kyufukin), and our member is now able to relax and enjoy the time at home with their newborn.

The lesson? Join a union and help to build a relationship between your employer and the union.