In the event that trouble arises in connection with labor, first, you should negotiate with the company for a solution. However, you may not get the best deal by negotiating directly with the company. This is particularly, true for foreign workers.
Possible solutions for labor problems are described below.
Joining a labor union
Labor unions are organizations that workers themselves form to protect workers' rights. The labor union negotiates with the company for the workers instead of the workers negotiating with the company individually.
However, every company does not have a labor union. In that case, if you contact us for consultation, we may be able to introduce you to a local labor union which anyone can join.
Report to the labor standards office and the labor department
Cases where there is trouble in connection with working conditions may be resolved by consulting with the labor standards office which exercises jurisdiction over the company’s location. The labor standards office will investigate working conditions of a company and if something against the law is found, the labor standards office will guide the company into compliance.
If you have trouble in connection with dispatched workers such as double dispatching and disguised contract labor, you need to consult with the prefectural labor department where you live.
Consultation with professionals
If you do not find a suitable labor union, if the labor standards office is too passive, or if you need some expertise to solve a problem, you need to contact a legal advisor. In such cases, please do not hesitate to contact us for consultation.
Labor disputes and lawsuits
When you cannot resolve the trouble with the company even after the labor union or the lawyers that received a request negotiate with the company, you may need to file a lawsuit.
A regular lawsuit may take more than one year to be settled. If it is a simple case, there is a method called ‘labor disputes’, where a judgment is made after three proceedings.
In any event, when you make a lawsuit, please contact us because a lawyer’s assistance will be required in most cases.