One-third of major firms have workers working more than 100 hours of overtime per month

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One-third of major firms have workers working more than 100 hours of overtime per month

A Central Labor Relations Commission's survey published recently revealed that one-third of major corporations have employees working more than 100 hours of overtime a month.

More than 100 hours of overtime a month is considered to be excessively long working hours causing karoshi (death from overwork) that is applicable to work-related accident compensation.

In the survey carried out in June 2006 at 373 firms with a capital of at least 500 million yen and 1,000 or more employees, 33.2 percent of respondents, or 78 out of 235 companies, answered they have employees whose monthly overtime exceed 100 hours.

In these cases, both workers and their employers are required to receive doctors' advice on health care and on reducing working hours. However, only 25.5 percent of the companies have consulted with doctors.
- Akahata, February 21, 2007