Court recognizes municipality employee's death from overwork

The Fukuoka District Court on March 30 recognized the death of a municipal employee as caused by overwork, overturning the decision of a public fund for insurance against injuries to reject the wife's demand that the death be recognized as work-related.

The 38-year-old employee of the Fukuoka City government died in May 1991, one month after he had a subarachnoid hemorrhage and collapsed.

He worked for the board of education. He had heavy workloads and stress as a staff counsellor for students and parents concerning students courses after graduation. Overtime work was constant.

The employee's union supported the wife, and in the hearing his colleagues stood to testify about the employee's workloads and other details of his working conditions. (end)