Recently, a union member at a large, prominent eikaiwa was thrown a curve ball: for a variety of factors, this member was to have their limited term contract non-renewed.

As we at the General Union geared up for a fight, one of our branch officers discovered something important: the company had not given the member 30 days notice for non-renewal.

According to Japanese labor law, employers need to give 30 days notice of non-renewal. Dodging that requirement can cause big problems for employers, including law suits.

Sure enough, only a few days after the General Union had caught wind of this looming non-renewal, the company sent another message: due to their mistake, they were unable to give the employee 30 days notice, and they felt obligated to allow the person to keep their job.

If you are faced with a contract non-renewal, file a request for a consultation . We are happy to discuss your options with you.

Even the Japanese government understands how negatively non-renewal impacts people. That is why they instituted the “Five Year Rule” allowing irregular workers to enter into non-limited term contracts.