National Health / Unemployment Insurance

[Mike Oxlong]

An odd story:

A friend was recently not recontracted for an ALT job. He went down to city hall to get health insurance, as he was no longer paying through paycheck deductions. He was told there that he owed a bunch of unemployment insurance. Thing is, he has been doing this ALT gig since he came to Japan just a year ago, and has had unemployment insurance deduced from his check each month. He asked about this, and was told there are two types of unemployment insurance, and that he had only been deducted for one type, and owes for the other.

Question - has anyone heard a similar story, or been through a similar situation? If so, do you know what this double system of payment for unemployment insurance is?

[Mike Oxlong]

Looks like he paid kosei nenkin, and needs to pay kokumin nenkin...

[Taro Toporific]

...there are two types of unemployment insurance, and that he had only been deducted for one type, and owes for the other...

He sort of got ripped off---His ALT job should have paid both. HOWEVER, I strongly suspect that he was an ALT via a job dispatch company and that somewhere in the hiring process he was asked if he, "wanted to also pay 'kokumin nenkin'" and he obviously said, "No." (Job dispatch companies like the cocksucking Mormons at InterFrak* often slip stuff like this during abbreviated/hurried contract signing sessions.)

[color="Silver"]*If you're a cocksucking Mormon at InterFrak reading this, go eat a sack of dicks.[/color]

[Mike Oxlong]

Nope, direct city hire through the board of ed...

[Taro Toporific]

Nope, direct city hire through the board of ed...

Damn. Sounds like the HR person at the board of ed dropped the ball---It's an honest error for a coordinator at the Board of Ed (not that that makes you feel any better).

If you were a Japanese teacher, the Board of Ed would be bending over more than 45 degrees over such a mistake.

[Mike Oxlong]

OK, thanks.

Is it by law that the employer should pay? And, if so, any idea of where that info is online?

[Taro Toporific]

Is it by law that the employer should pay? And, if so, any idea of where that info is online?

Damn if I can remember, but impression is that the employer pays majority and employees have their wages deducted for the rest...THE ENTIRE PROCESS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A NO-BRAINER, so this is just a fuckup.

Please remember that can ALWAYS negotiate a payment schedule for Japanese unemployment insurance (as well as J-pension) that are arrears. Japanese folks do it all the time to spread the pain over a year or two.

[TennoChinko]

What is the deal with kokumin nenkin - especially after the dissolution of the Social Insurance Agency (SIA)? I was under the impression that although legislation is pending, they still cannot force you into enrolling in the kokumin nenkin program (specifically, there are not any means of enforcement if you refuse to cooperate). On top of that, apparently less than 50% of Japanese who are enrolled in the pension program, are not paying their premium dues.

Is there anyone with more up to date information who can clarify this?

[Number11]

Uh...

koyo hoken hihokenshasho is the unemployment certificate. Am I the only one with the words "UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE" in the original post? My browser must be screwed up, since I don't see the words pension, or nenkin in the original post.

There is only one system of unemployment insurance, as far as I know. The premiums are usually split between the employer and employee. It isn't much - only about 0.4% - 0.5% of income.