Japan Press Weekly

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2017 March 1 - 7 [LABOR]

Court recognizes death of public high school teacher as work-related

The Nagoya District Court in Aichi Prefecture on March 1 acknowledged the sudden death on duty of a male public high school teacher as caused by overwork.

The court overturned the decision of rejecting his wife’s claim for public workers’ compensation made previously by the Fund for Local Government Employees’ Accident Compensation.

In September 2009, the teacher was found unconscious at school. He died four days after he was taken to the hospital. He was 42 years of age.

During the one month before his death, he worked 95 hours of overtime. He had to take care of students in an afterschool club activity and give advice to students on college entrance exams or various certification exams in addition to his daily teaching load. At that time, he was also preparing for a trial experience program of the high school for junior high school students.

The judge said, “He was compelled to take on an especially burdensome workload,” which increased the physical and emotional demands on him.

In Aichi, nearly 10% of public high school teachers work more than 100 hours of overtime a month. With the judgement this time as a warning to make needed changes, the prefectural government should work to improve teachers’ working conditions.