In Ginan Town, Gifu Prefecture, a supplementary budget proposal has been submitted to the town council to pay a total of approximately 11 million yen in unpaid overtime allowances to employees who were required to arrive five minutes early for morning meetings.
Background of the Unpaid Overtime Issue
The issue arose because the former mayor of Ginan Town instructed employees to report to work five minutes earlier than their official working hours for morning meetings from March 2021 to 2024. However, this extra time was not compensated as overtime. In response, employees filed a request with the Fairness Commission demanding the payment of these unpaid wages, prompting the town to take corrective action.
As a result, Ginan Town has submitted a supplementary budget proposal to provide back pay to 146 affected employees, and if approved at the town council meeting on March 3, the payments will be made promptly.
Japan’s Morning Meeting Culture and Its Relationship to Working Hours
In Japan, many companies hold morning meetings before the official start of the workday to share announcements, recite company mottos, or even conduct stretching exercises. However, if attendance at these meetings is mandatory, the time spent is considered working hours, and employees must be compensated accordingly.
The term “working hours” refers to the period when an employee is under the employer’s instruction and control. This includes not only explicit orders but also implicit instructions—situations where participation is effectively mandatory. Therefore, if attending morning meetings is part of an employer’s directive, requiring employees to do so without pay may be a violation of labor laws.
Key Takeaways from This Case
The case in Ginan Town highlights a crucial labor law principle: even short periods of employer-mandated work before official working hours count as working time and must be compensated. If this case is approved as a public sector precedent, it could lead to increased scrutiny of similar practices in private companies.
Employers, both in government and private sectors, should review whether customary pre-work activities, such as morning meetings and preparation time, are being properly accounted for as working hours to ensure compliance with labor laws.
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