Working conditions

It refers to all the conditions under which a worker provides work to an employer based on a labor contract, and is used almost synonymously with employment conditions or working conditions. Specifically, it includes the details of wages such as basic salary, various allowances, bonuses, and retirement benefits, the details of employee benefits such as company housing, bachelor dormitories, employee cafeterias, recreational facilities, medical facilities, and resorts, the hours worked per day, the hours worked per week, the details of the weekly holiday system (whether there are two days off per week), the number of days of annual paid leave, the details of special leave and how national holidays are treated, the details of working hours, holidays, and vacations such as whether there is a shift system, the existence of childcare leave and nursing care leave systems and the conditions for using them, the details of the skills development opportunities provided by the company such as new employee training, hierarchical training, and outside training, the condition of the facilities to ensure safety and hygiene in the workplace where work is performed, the location of work and the possibility of transfers, the retirement age and the possibility of continued employment after retirement.

Article 27 of the Japanese Constitution states that "Standards relating to wages, working hours, rest, and other working conditions shall be fixed by law." In response to this, numerous laws have been enacted, including the Labor Standards Act, Minimum Wage Act, Industrial Safety and Health Act, Equal Employment Opportunity Act, Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, and Act on Stabilization of Employment for Elderly Persons.

Article 1 of the Labor Standards Act states that "Working conditions must satisfy the needs of workers to live a life worthy of human beings," and Article 2 states that "Working conditions should be decided between workers and employers on an equal footing." Article 15 also stipulates that "Employers must clearly indicate wages, working hours, and other working conditions to workers when concluding a labor contract." The Enforcement Regulations of the Act list the following items as items that must be clearly indicated (absolute items to be clearly indicated): (1) the term of the labor contract, (2) the place of work and the work to be performed, (3) the start and end times of work, whether or not there will be overtime, breaks, holidays, vacations, and shift work, (4) the method of determining, calculating, and paying wages, the deadline for wage payment and the timing of payment, salary increases, and (5) items related to retirement. In addition, the items that must be clearly stated if there is a provision (relatively stated items) are listed as follows: (1) severance pay, (2) bonuses and other temporary wages, minimum wage, (3) safety and health, (4) vocational training, (5) accident compensation, (6) awards and sanctions, and (7) leave of absence.

Among working conditions, the minimum standards for wages are set out in the Labor Standards Act and the Minimum Wage Act. Minimum standards for working hours, holidays, and vacations are set out in the Labor Standards Act, and similarly, minimum standards for childcare leave and family care leave are set out in the Childcare and Family Care Leave Act, and minimum standards for retirement age and continued employment after retirement are set out in the Act on Stabilization of Employment of Older Persons. Minimum standards for workplace safety and health facilities and standards are specified in detail in the Industrial Safety and Health Act. Where no specific mention is made in the law, each company is free to decide for itself.

Working conditions vary considerably from company to company, but in Japan in particular there are significant differences in working conditions between large companies and small and medium-sized companies.

In companies with labor unions, major issues such as wages, working hours, holidays, and vacations are decided through negotiations with the labor union. In companies without labor unions, the reality is that the company makes decisions while taking into consideration social trends.

[Yoshio Sasajima]

"Comprehensive list of wages and working conditions compiled by the Sanro Research Institute (2009, Keiei Shoin)" ▽ "Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare compiled by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Annual editions of the White Paper on Health, Labor and Welfare (Gyosei)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

労働者が使用者に対して、労働契約に基づいて労働を提供するに際してのあらゆる条件をいい、雇用条件あるいは勤務条件とほぼ同義に用いられる。具体的には、基本給、諸手当、賞与（ボーナス）、退職金などの賃金の内容、社宅や独身寮、社員食堂、レクリエーション施設、医療施設、保養所などの福利厚生の内容、1日の労働時間、週当り労働時間、完全週休二日制かどうかという週休制の内容、年次有給休暇の日数、特別休暇の内容や国民の祝日などの扱い、交代制勤務の有無などの労働時間・休日・休暇に関する内容、育児休業制度や介護休業制度の有無と利用条件、新人教育や階層教育、企業外研修の有無などの企業が提供する能力開発機会の内容、業務遂行する職場の安全や衛生を確保する設備の状況、勤務地や転勤の可能性、定年年齢と定年退職後の雇用継続の可能性などを含む。

　日本国憲法第27条において、「賃金、就業時間、休息その他の勤労条件に関する基準は、法律でこれを定める」としている。これを受けて、労働基準法、最低賃金法、労働安全衛生法、男女雇用機会均等法、育児・介護休業法、高年齢者雇用安定法など数多くの法律が制定されている。

　労働基準法は、第1条で、「労働条件は、労働者が人たるに値する生活を営むための必要を充たすべきものでなければならない」とし、第2条で「労働条件は、労働者と使用者が、対等の立場において決定すべきものである」としている。また、第15条で「使用者は、労働契約の締結に際し、労働者に対して賃金、労働時間その他の労働条件を明示しなければならない」と規定している。同法施行規則において、必ず明示しなければならない事項（絶対的明示事項）として、(1)労働契約の期間、(2)就業の場所および従事すべき業務、(3)始業および終業の時刻、残業の有無、休憩時間・休日・休暇、交替労働の内容、(4)賃金の決定、計算および支払方法、賃金の締切りおよび支払時期、昇給、(5)退職に関する事項を掲げている。また、定めがある場合には明示しなければならない事項（相対的明示事項）として、(1)退職手当、(2)賞与など臨時賃金、最低賃金額、(3)安全衛生、(4)職業訓練、(5)災害補償、(6)表彰および制裁、(7)休職などに関する事項を掲げている。

　労働条件のなかでも、賃金については労働基準法や最低賃金法で最低基準が定められている。労働時間、休日、休暇に関しては労働基準法で最低基準が定められており、同様に、育児休業、介護休業については育児・介護休業法で、定年年齢や定年退職後の雇用継続に関しては高年齢者雇用安定法で、最低基準が定められている。職場の安全衛生の設備や水準に関しては、労働安全衛生法で最低基準について詳細に定められている。法律でとくに言及していない場合には、各企業が自由に決定できることになる。

　労働条件は企業によってかなり異なるが、とくに日本の場合には、大企業と中小企業との間では労働条件にかなりの違いがみられる。

　労働条件のなかでも賃金や労働時間、休日、休暇など主要事項については、労働組合のある企業では労働組合と交渉して決めることになる。労働組合のない企業では、企業側が世間動向に配慮しつつ決定するのが実情である。

［笹島芳雄］

『産労総合研究所編『賃金・労働条件総覧』（2009・経営書院）』▽『厚生労働省編『厚生労働白書』各年版（ぎょうせい）』

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