When a typhoon warning goes up or an employer decides to close for “safety reasons,” many workers assume they’ve just lost a day’s pay. Part-time teachers often face another version: “We’re cancelling your class tomorrow – contract says we can do that with 24 hours’ notice, so no pay.” 

Your contract might say the company can cancel classes “with sufficient notice” or during “force majeure events” and pay nothing. 

That’s not how the law works. 

Under Labour Standards Act Article 26, if your employer cancels work for reasons “attributable to the employer,” they must pay you at least 60% of your average daily wage. The key question isn’t whether there’s a typhoon or how much notice you got — it’s who made the decision to cancel work. 

If your employer decides to close as a precaution, that’s generally considered an employer-side decision, meaning they must pay at least 60% of your average wage under Article 26. 

However, if the closure is due to unavoidable force majeure (for example, severe damage or government-mandated shutdowns), the employer may be exempt. 

The union believes employers should pay 100% of wages when they cancel work – it’s their risk, not yours, that’s why they claim they get the big bucks. But the law guarantees a minimum of 60%, and we’ll fight to get you at least that. 

The same principle applied during COVID-19. Employers across Japan tried to claim pandemic closures were force majeure and refused to pay workers. They were wrong. The government didn’t order most schools and businesses to close – employers chose to. The General Union fought dozens of these cases, both through direct negotiation and via Labour Standards Offices, and won payment for members again and again. 

Why You Need a Union 

Here’s the problem: Labour Standards Offices are understaffed and overwhelmed. The inspection officers may understand your problem, but for something like one unpaid typhoon day or a single cancelled class, they often won’t do the legwork necessary to get your money back – especially for individual workers walking in alone. 

But when a union shows up with a member – or better yet, with multiple members showing a pattern of violations – things change. We know how to frame the case, which legal provisions to cite, and how to push the Labour Standards Office to actually act. We’ve done this both ways: negotiating directly with employers and representing members at the Labour Standards Office. 

During COVID, the General Union’s phones rang constantly. We became experts in these wage claims out of necessity, helping members recover pay from employers who thought they could hide behind “unprecedented circumstances.” 

Your Rights Are Real – Use Them 

Don’t just accept zero pay because your contract has a force majeure clause, because your employer gave you “enough notice,” or because someone told you there’s nothing you can do. The law is on your side. But you need backing to enforce it. 

If your employer cancels your work – for typhoons, “safety,” low enrolment, or any other employer-side reason – contact the General Union. We’ll help you get what you’re owed.