A Guide toChildbirth, Childcare,and the Nursing ofFamily Members
for Faculty and Staff＊At our university, we have a leave system that exceeds the legal standards. Please read this leaﬂet andmake use of the system to accommodate your physical condition and circumstances.

2017.4

Shizuoka university Gender Equality Oﬃce
http://www.shizuoka.ac.jp/sankaku/
E-mail：takenoko@adb.shizuoka.ac.jp
TEL：054‐238‐3052

For inquires concerning this leaﬂet, please contact the following:
General Aﬀairs Department Personnel Section
E-mail：shokuin@adb.shizuoka.ac.jp TEL：054‐238‐4419

Inquires about holidays, leave, and employment insurance can be made to the following extension number:
Personnel Section : (9) 4419

Support System for Childbirth and Post-Childbirth

In this section, we will introduce the system you can use before and after childbirth. Not only female
staﬀ, but also male staﬀ, can use this system.]

Q: Tell me about the before and after childbirth support system.
A: There is the Pre- and Post-Childbirth Leave System.

Faculty Leave Regulation Clause 1 and 2, Article 11;
Part-time staﬀ Leave Regulation Clause 11 & 12, Article 7
This is an unpaid leave. You can take a pre-childbirth leave from 8 weeks prior to your expected delivery (14days prior, in the case of twins) and a post-childbirth leave for 8 weeks after the date of delivery.
＊*Please note that this pre- and post-childbirth leave stipulated for part-time staﬀ is an unpaid holiday. However,
if your circumstances match certain conditions, you may be able to get a “childbirth allowance” from the Health
Insurance Society, so please contact the Mutual Aid Association for further details.

Q: Is it possible for me to be present at my wifeʼs delivery?
A: There is a system for husbands (including common-law marriages) to take leave for
their wife's delivery.

(Faculty Leave Regulation Clause 5, Article 11)
If your wife is expecting a baby, or if you have to take care of another pre-school child because of yourwife's condition, you are able to be absent from 6 weeks prior to the expected delivery date (14 weeks
prior, in the case of twins) until 8 weeks after the delivery, for a maximum of ﬁve days.

Q: Soon my second child will be born. While my wife is hospitalized, I will take care of
the upper child. Is there any holidays besides paid holiday?
A: There is a nurturing leave system for husband (including fact and marriage).

(Faculty Leave Regulation Item 5, Clause 1, Article 11)

Q: Childbirth costs a lot, will I be eligible for ﬁnancial support?
A: Please contact the Health Insurance Society to ﬁnd out about the "childbirth allowance."
Q: What should I do if I want to keep taking care of my baby
even after my post-childbirth leave days are over?
A: You are able to go on childcare leave until your child turns 3 years old.

（Faculty childcare leave regulations will be applied for all full-time and some part-time faculty/staﬀ.）
You will receive no salary during your childcare leave, but if you are covered by employment insurance andmeet the requirements, you may be able to get a childcare leave allowance from the employment insurance until your child turns 1 year old (1 and a half years old if there is some special reason to extend yourchildcare leave).
Inquiries about our nursary and parent's cafe "Takenoko" can be madeto the Gender Equality Oﬃce within "Takenoko." Please call the following extension number: (9)3052

Childcare Support After You Return to WorkIn this section, we will introduce the types of support system we have once you come back to theworkplace. In addition to what is written below, you can also make use of the nursery and parent's
cafe "Takenoko" for your child to be temporarily looked after, or some other after-school care facilities
in the Hamamatsu area.

Q: I have come back to work but I still need to breastfeed my child. What should I do?
A: You can use the childcare time system.

(Faculty Leave Regulation Clause 3, Article 11, Part-time staﬀ Leave Regulation Clause 13, Article 7)
When you are nursing a child under 1 year old, you are allowed to take a 30-minute break twice a day, tobreastfeed your child, or take your child to/from daycare.

Inquiries about shortening your working hours, taking leave, or your salary and bonuses, can be madeto the Salary Sector 1 of the Personnel Section. Call the following extension number: (9) 4417

Q: My child often gets a fever. Can I be absent to look after my child?
A: Yes, the Nursing Leave System allows for that.

(Faculty Leave Regulation Clause 6, Article 11; Part-time staﬀ Leave Regulation Clause 10, Article 7)
If you need to take care of your sick or injured child, you are able to get time oﬀ if the child is still pre-juniorhigh school age (for up to 7 days per year. Or, if more than two caretakers are needed for the child, up to 14
days per year).

Q: Although I want to keep working, I want to lead a life focused more on my child thanon my work while my child is still little.
A: Please consider shortening your working hours or using the "Childcare Short Working
Hours System."
Shortening of working hours
Childcare short working hours system
Rule

Content

Faculty Childcare Leave Regulation Article 25【applies to both full-time and part-time staﬀ】

Faculty Childcare Leave Regulation Articles 11-19【applies to both full-time and part-time staﬀ
who works over 7 hours per day】

Staﬀ who nurse a pre-school aged childare allowed to shorten their working
hours by up to 2 hours a day(the salary for the shortened hours will
not be paid)

Staﬀ whonurse a pre-school aged child can choose
the following working hour options. Note thatsalary and bonuses will be reduced.

- make the daily working hours 3 hours and 55
minutes, or 4 hours and 55 minutes.
- work only 3 days a week, and make one of thoseworking days only half a day.
- set your weekly working hours between 19 hours
and 25 minutes and 24 hours and 35 minutes.

Q: I have to do research until evening. Is there any place that will look after my child?
A: The nursery and parentʼs cafe Takenoko" can take care of your child until evening.

For details, please contact the Gender Equality Oﬃce, or take a look at the guide to the nursery and parent's cafe
"Takenoko."
Nursing/caring support can be made to the following extension number: Personnel Section : (9) 4419

Nursing/Caring Support

Are you torn between going to work and caring for (X) a sick family member? Is the uncertainty of theillness making you physically and mentally exhausted? In this section, we will introduce a system thatseeks to relieve such stress so that you can have more quality time with your family.

Q: My wife broke a bone and now I have to take care of all aspects of her life. What should I do?
A: You can use the Nursing Leave System.

(Faculty Leave Regulation Clause 7, Article 11)
When a family member needs to be cared for constantly for more than 2 weeks, a caretaker can get aholiday for up to 7 days per year.

Q: My mother has become bedridden. My father has already passed away, so my siblings
and I have to take turns caring for her. What should I do?
A: Please try to shorten your working hours or use the Nursing Leave System.
Shortening ofthe working hours

Rule

Nursing leave system

Nursing time

Faculty Nursing RegulationArticle 15【full-time and part-time staﬀ】

Faculty Nursing Regulation Article 5【full-time and part-time staﬀ】

Faculty Nursing Regulation Article 16【full-time and part-time staﬀ】

Staﬀ who must care for a family

Staﬀ who must care for a family
member can take a leave up to 180 daysin a continuous duration of 3 years ofcaring, depending on the condition of
the sick family member (Those withemployment insurance will get a
Nursing Leave allowance.)

Staﬀ who must care for familiy member
with the certiﬁcation of needed
long-term can acquire within the rangeof 3 consecutive years to the extent thatit does not exceed 2 hours a day.
(No Salary, bonus is reduced proportionately.)Content member can shorten their working

hours up to 4 hours a day for aperiod of up to 6 months.(No salarywill be paid for the shortenedworking hours.)

A Guide to Childbirth, Childcare and the Nursing of Family Members
for Faculty and Staﬀ
At our university, we have a leave system that exceeds the legal standards. Please read this leaﬂet and makeuse of the system to accommodate your physical condition and circumstances.
This leaﬂet will introduce the system in our university in an FAQ-style. If you have any additional questions,please consult with the General Aﬀairs Department Personnel Section staﬀ (Gender Equality Oﬃce) or ourInquires about holidays, leave, and employment insurance can be made to the following extension number:
Personnel Section : (9) 4419

Pre-Maternity Leave Support System

In this section, we will introduce our support system from pregnancy until childbirth.
Please make use of this system to accommodate your physical condition and circumstances.

Q: Due to my morning sickness, I ﬁnd it hard to commute by train. What should I do?
A: There is a commuter-relief system available to pregnant female faculty and staﬀ.

（Leave of Staﬀ Regulation Clause 20, Article 9）
When commuting on crowded transportation can be harmful to the mother or the unborn baby's well-being, this system can be used for up to one hour per day.

Q: I got pregnant and I'm experiencing unstable health conditions.
Would it be possible for me to be absent from work?
A: There is a system called the "Reproductive Health Leave" (newly-established in April, 2012).

(Leave of the Faculty Regulation Clause 22, Article 11 and Leave of Part-time Instructor Regulation Clause 9,"The Reproductive Health Leave System" is also called the "Pre-Maternity Leave System" and is a special leavesystem that allows our faculty and staﬀ to take leave for a certain period of time in order to go to a medical facility
to get infertility treatment or pregnancy-related care. A crucial issue for pregnant employees is that they may havea miscarriage if they are not careful when it comes to working during pregnancy. In order to prevent a miscarriage,
even if no sickness is diagnosed, you are allowed to take a rest when you have morning sickness or when you don't
feel well due to the ﬂaring up of your belly.

Q: Japanese law speciﬁes that pregnant women must consult a doctor for a regular medicalcheckup. If I go to the health check, would that mean I have to use my paid holiday for the year?
A: Not necessarily. There is a special leave system by which you can use those absences
for purposes other than your regular paid holiday.
(Faculty Leave Regulation Clause 19, Article 11)
The Mother and Child Health Act stipulates that female faculty or staﬀ who are pregnant, or have given
birth within the past year, can get a maximum of one day of leave in order to seek medical attention.

Q: Infertility treatment is a long process. Could I get leave to go to a checkup or to see a doctor?
A: Yes, there is a system called the "Reproductive Health Leave" (newly-established in April, 2012).

(Faculty Leave Regulation Clause 22, Article 11 and Part-time Staﬀ Leave Clause 9, Article 7)This is a special system that allows faculty or staﬀ going through infertility treatment or other pregnancy-related procedures to seek medical attention that may be required. Male staﬀ can also use this system.

Q: I managed to commute to the university, but ended up feeling sick during working hours.
Is it possible to take a break?
A: Yes, Special break time is permitted to pregnant female staﬀ.

(Faculty Leave Clause 21, Article 11)
You are allowed to take a break when needed. Please take it easy, and go to the Health Center, the nursary
and parentʼ s cafe "Takenoko," or to any of our resting stations.