A special article in the November issue of Monthly 企業実務 (Corporate Practice) explains practical checks and available support measures in light of the current situation, in which more than 40% of small and midsize companies are considered to be paying below the minimum wage.
The special article highlights that this fiscal year's minimum wage increase, at ¥56 on a nationwide weighted-average basis, was among the largest on record, and examines the realities facing small and midsize companies as minimum wages rise.
It explains practical methods and checkpoints for checking the company's own compliance with minimum wage requirements, and introduces ways to ensure that its wage system is administered appropriately.
The article also identifies the expansion of social insurance coverage and revisions to the rules governing part-time and fixed-term employees as changes to address alongside the minimum wage increase. It explains the measures to be taken in response.
As management strategies for sustaining wage increases, the article proposes approaches to improving business performance, including passing higher costs on through prices, and stresses the importance of considering legal compliance and wage management together.