Workers Taking Paid Leave Reaches Record Low

The percentage of workers taking paid leave in 2007 fell to 46.6 percent, which is a record low, and is down 0.5 percent down from 47.1 percent in 2006, according to results of the General Survey on Working Conditions in 2007 released on October 12 by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The average number of days in annual paid leave was 17.7 days and employees took an average of 8.3 days for holidays in 2007. The highest rate was 51.7 percent at companies with more than 1,000 employees, while this number was 43 percent at companies with fewer than 1,000 employees.

The Ministry annually carries out the survey on working conditions in leading industries, examining aspects such as wage system, working hours, labor costs, benefits, retirement allowance and mandatory retirement system, with the aim of disclosing current conditions in Japanese private companies. Of the 5, 343 companies targeted, 4, 178 or 78.2 percent responded to the survey.

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Posted: 2008/02/18 11:13:40 AM
Japanese version