Workplace Leave
There are many kinds of leave and you should consult your contract to confirm which kinds you have. Some of them such as nursing or maternity/paternity leave are very situational. Some may apply only to certain BOEs like special seasonal leave. Others may have special stipulations for a period of consecutive days including weekends such as reduced or zero pay.
Paid leave/hourly leave
「年休・時間休」(nenkyū/jikankyū)
Your contract will stipulate how many days you get per year, how many you have access to from the beginning of the contract period, and how many you can carry over to the following year. Different JETs will have a different number of days according to their contracting organization. However, Japanese law requires at least 10 days (see chart below). You can often take your paid leave hourly, with one day of paid leave generally equating to 7 hours.
The process for taking leave may vary by workplace. You will need to inform your supervisor of the dates you wish to take off and receive the permission of at least one person like a vice principal or supervisor. You should avoid making reservations until you have received permission as many contracts give the employer the right to request you choose different dates within reason.
You may also be asked to file a form to officially request leave, especially if you are traveling overseas or will be absent for consecutive days.
Transferring over unused breaks
In most cases, breaks you did not use the previous year can be transferred to the next year up to a total of 20 days. If the number exceeds 20 days, any extra breaks will be unusable. For example, if you have 11 days in your 2nd year and 10 days leftover from your previous year, that will give you 21 days of paid leave. Because you can only have a maximum of 20 days of paid leave, that extra day will go to waste if it is not used the year before.
Sick Leave
「病休」(byōkyū)
Byōkyū is something your Japanese coworkers may not use, but do not let that stop you if you have it in your contract. Make sure to confirm with your school what is required in advance/when you call in sick.
You will most likely be unable to use this leave without going to a medical provider, such a clinic. Your school/contracting organization may ask for a copy of the clinic receipt, your prescriptions, or an official note from the doctor as proof. For the doctor’s note, this is not something they will provide unless it is requested and you will have to pay extra for it.
In the unfortunate case that you must take an extended period of sick leave, please check your contract for specifics. After a certain number of days, your pay will be decreased and eventually stopped and replaced with disability payments from the government. Should you become injured or sick due to work or your commute, you may also be entitled to workers’ compensation from the government.
Leave-in-lieu
「代休・振替休」(Daikyū/Furikaekyū)
Daikyū/Furikaekyū is time given to workers for extra work. If your employer asks you to work an event on a holiday/weekend or to stay after hours to work, you are entitled to an equivalent amount of time off during a workday. There is, however, an expiration date (ie. your daikyū usually must be used within the next month). Check your contract or with your supervisor for the specifics at your workplace.
Summer Leave
「夏季休暇 」(kaki kyūka)
Summer Leave is a common type of leave for JETs and teachers at some Japanese schools. Not all JETs receive it, so please check your contract/ask your supervisor. Additionally, the dates may vary by location but generally cover July to September of that year to participate in various summer events such as the Obon festival and for the enrichment of their work-life balance. The number of days may also vary by contract and is commonly 3 – 5 days.
