Employment Relations

It is no secret that Japan has some of the strictest labor relations laws in the developed world. In order to avoid running afoul of Japanese labor law and the possible labor disputes that may arise, we assist our clients in crafting compliant but practical internal employee policies to help minimize risk. Some key issues that we often address in our review or drafting include: Drafting of employment rules for foreign-affiliate company

• Policies for employee recruitment (including issues relating to unofficial job offers)
• Best practices for personnel relocations (such as internal transfers, secondments to affiliate companies, and general employment transfers)
• Labor union related issues
• Drafting and review of client’s disciplinary policy with a view towards compliance
• Issues regarding overtime pay

Matsuo & Kosugi has been on the forefront labor law in Japan for much of its history and have represent employers in a broad range of labor related disputes. Some examples of the labor disputes we been involved in include:

• Labor disputes regarding termination of contract or employee dismissal
• Workplace harassment disputes
• Wage disputes – such as allegations of non-payment of overtime pay
• Labor disputes involving collective bargaining
• Negotiation with employees or labor unions on employer’s behalf
• Mediations
• Appearances before the labor tribunal
• Provisional injunctions and other interim actions
• Procedures at labor committees