Tohoku University developed the “General Employer Action Plans” based on
the “Act on Advancement of Measures to Support the Raising of NextGeneration Children,” and has been expanding support systems forbalancing work and family life as well as creating a more employee-friendly
environment.
This pamphlet provides an overview of our childbirth/childcare support
systems (maternal protection, maternity leave, childcare leave, leave ofabsence, overtime work restriction, childbirth benefits, etc.), to enable our
employees to actively use these systems.
We ask all University staff members—those raising children and theirsuperiors and colleagues—to better understand these systems and provide
cooperation and support for a better balance between work and family life.

April 2023
Human Resources and Planning Department

Pregnancy / Childbirth / Childcare Support Systems
prepregnancy

Pregnancy

8 weeks prior
to expected
date of birth⓪ Childbirth support leave

8 weeks
afterchildbirthChildbirth

1 yearafter
childbirth

3 years
afterchildbirthChild
entering
elementary
schoolChildentering
junior highschool

P.3① Limitations on dangerous and injurious work

P.3

② Limitations on working hours

P.3③ Reduction in the workload④ Medical checkups and health guidance⑤ Easing the burden of commuting⑥ Rest breaks

P.3

P.3

P.4
For women

P.4

For men

P.4

For both womenand men⑦ Maternity leave before childbirth

P.4⑧ Maternity leave after childbirth⑨ Maternity leave
for childbirth and childcare⑩ Nursing leave

P.4
P.5

⑪ Childcare leave at birth

P.5⑫ Childcare leave⑬ Exemption from overtime work

P.5
P.5
P.6

⑭ Sick/injured childcare leave⑮ Short-time work for childcare⑯ Partial leave for childcare⑰ Restrictions on overtime work for childcare⑱ Restrictions on late-night work
⑲ Staggered working hours

P.6
P.6
P.6
P.7
P.7

2

Pregnancy support system[⓪ Childbirth support leave]
Description
PeriodTargetPayment
statusDocuments
required

Employees may request special leave when going to a medical institution for infertility
treatment or attending a briefing session on infertility treatment conducted by the institution.
Five days per year (10 days when undergoing IVF or ICSI)Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
employees
employees
Men / women
Men / women
Paid

Paid

Associate/part-time
employees
Men / women
Paid* No documentation is required. In addition, the employee may request this special leave
without specifying the details of the treatment, such as "for hospital visits, etc.," but please
make sure that this is clear in the case of hospital visits related to IVF or ICSI.

Support systems available during pregnancy and for one year after childbirth[① Limitations on dangerous and injurious work]
Expectant and nursing mothers shall not be required to perform work that may be harmful to
Description
pregnancy, childbirth, nursing or the like. (Harmful work includes work involving the handlingof heavy materials, work in places where harmful gas is generated, etc.)
PeriodTargetDuring pregnancy and for one year after childbirth
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
employees
employees

Women[② Limitations on working hours]
Description
PeriodTarget

Women

Associate/part-time
employees
Women

Expectant and nursing mothers may request that they are not required to work outside theirregular working hours or during the period from 10 p.m. until 5 a.m. the following morning.
During pregnancy and for one year after childbirth
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
employees
employees

Associate/part-time
employees

Women
Women
Women
Documents* In principle, there is no need to submit any documents; in some cases, the submission of arequired
copy of the mother-and-child handbook may be required.
[③ Reduction in the workload]
Expectant and nursing mothers may request to reduce their workloads or give them lighter
Description
responsibilities.
During pregnancy and for one year after childbirth
PeriodRegular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Target
Women
Women
Women
Documents* In principle, there is no need to submit any documents; in some cases, the submission of arequired
copy of the mother-and-child handbook may be required.
[④ Medical checkups and health guidance ]Description

PeriodTargetPayment
statusDocuments
required

Expectant and nursing mothers may be granted time off for health guidance or medical
checkups as stipulated in the “Maternal and Child Health Act.”
During pregnancy and for one year after childbirthPredetermined number; required period during working hours
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
employees
employees

Associate/part-time
employees

Women

Women

Women

Paid

Paid

Paid

A copy of the mother-and-child handbook3[⑤ Easing the burden of commuting]Expectant mothers may be exempt from work activities when the traffic congestion on
Description
commuting is recognized to have an effect on the health of the mother or her fetus.
During pregnancy;
PeriodFrom the first or the last part of working hours, not exceeding 1 hour per day
Associate
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regularPart-time
employees
employees
employees
employees
Target
Women
Women
Women
Women
Payment status
Paid
Paid
Paid
UnpaidDocuments required A copy of the maternity health care guidance item contact card[⑥ Rest breaks]
Expectant mothers may be given rest breaks when their work is recognized to have an
Description
effect on the health of the mother or her fetus.
Time for breaks or snacks during pregnancy
PeriodRegular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Target
Women
Women
Women
Payment status
Paid
Paid
Paid
Documents required A copy of the maternity health care guidance item contact card[⑦ Maternity leave before childbirth]A female employee who is expected to give birth within 8 weeks (or within 14 weeks in
Description
the case of multiple fetuses) may request a special leave from work.
The requested period up to the delivery date
PeriodRegular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Target
Women
Women
Women
Payment status
Paid
Paid
Paid
Documents required A copy of the mother-and-child handbook[⑧ Maternity leave after childbirth ]When a female employee is due to give birth, a special leave for 8 weeks after the delivery
Description
date is granted.
PeriodTargetEight weeks after giving birth (excluding in the case where the employee requests a return towork after the elapse of 6 weeks following the delivery and has the approval of her physician)Regular/fixed-Term
employees
Women

Limited regular
employees
Women

Associate/part-time
employees
Women

Payment status
Paid
Paid
Paid
Documents* Promptly notify the person in charge of personnel affairs, and later submit a certified copy ofrequiredthe birth registration.
[⑨ Maternity leave for childbirth and childcare ]Description

PeriodTargetPayment status
Documents
requiredThis leave can be taken by male employees who accompany their spouse coming in and outof hospital, stay with their spouse during delivery, take care of their spouse in hospital, or
take care of a child related to the birth or a child who has not yet reached the age ofelementary school attendance.
Any 15 days from “the date of hospitalization, etc. for the childbirth of the spouse or the date
six weeks before the expected date of childbirth of the spouse, whichever comes first” to“the date of the child reaches the age of 1 year ”. * Can be divided and taken by the hour.
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men
Men
Men
Paid
Paid
Paid
* In principle, there is no need to submit any documents; in some cases, the submission of a copy of the motherand-child handbook may be required.
4

Systems Available for Childcare[⑩ Nursing leave]
Description
PeriodTargetPayment
statusDocuments
requiredAn employee raising an infant under the age of one year may request a special leave to carefor the infant, including breastfeeding.
Until the baby reaches one year old; up to 30 minutes, twice a day* For male employees, the period is to be adjusted.
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men / women
Men / women
Men / women
Paid

Paid

Paid

* In principle, there is no need to submit any documents; in some cases, the submission of acopy of the mother-and-child handbook may be required.

[⑪ Childcare leave at birth] Deadline for submitting of required documents : 2 weeks in advanceDescription
PeriodTargetPayment
statusDocuments
required

Leave is permitted for employees to take care of a child within 8 weeks of birth.
(It is possible to take this leave separately from [⑫Childcare leave])
Up to 4 weeks (28 days) within 8 weeks after the birth of the child(It is possible to take the leave twice in installments, but you must make a collective offer atthe beginning)
Associate/part-time
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
employees
employees
employees（1）
Men（2）Men （2）
Men （2）
UnpaidUnpaidUnpaidApplication for Child Care Leave(Must be accompanied by a certified copy of the birth registration)*1 Childcare leave at birth is granted to Associate/part-time employees in cases where it is not evident that his/her
contract of employment will end within 6 months following the day eight weeks after the child's birth or expectedbirth date, whichever is later, and it is not clear that the contract will not be renewed.
*2 Mainly for men, but also for women in the case of adopted children, etc.

[⑫ Childcare leave] Deadline for submitting of required documents : 1 month in advanceDescription
PeriodTargetPayment
statusDocuments
required

Leave is permitted for employees to take care of a child under the age of three years.
The period requested by the employee until the day before the child reaches the age of three
years (Can be taken twice in installments)
Associate/part-time
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
employees
employees
employees（）Men / women

Men / women

Men / women

UnpaidUnpaidUnpaidApplication for Child Care Leave(Must be accompanied by a certified copy of the birth registration)* Childcare leave is granted to Associate/part-time employees in cases where it is not evident that his/her contractof employment will end within 6 months after the completion of the leave and will not be renewed.

[⑬ Exemption from overtime work] Deadline for submitting of required documents : 2 weeks in advanceDescription

An employee who is taking care of a child under the age of three years may request
exemption from overtime work.

PeriodA period of one month to one year, until the day before the child reaches three years of age
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men / women
Men / women
Men / womenRestriction Request for Overtime/Late-Night Work
(Must be accompanied by a certified copy of the birth registration)

TargetDocuments
required5

[⑭ Sick/injured childcare leave]
Description

PeriodTargetPayment
statusDocuments
requiredAn employee who is taking care of a child before the time of commencement of junior highschool may obtain leave to look after the child in the event of injury or sickness to the child.
Five days per year (10 days when taking care of two or more children) until the time ofcommencement of junior high school* This leave can be divided and taken by the minute.
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men / women

Men / women

Men / women

Paid

Paid

Paid

* In principle, there is no need to submit any documents; in some cases, the submission of acopy of the mother-and-child handbook may be required.

[⑮ Short-time work for childcare] Deadline for submitting of required documents : 1 month in advanceDescription
PeriodTargetPayment
statusDocuments
required

Employees raising a pre-elementary school age child may request to reduce their working hours
to 20 to 25 hours per week.
A period of one month to one year, until the first March 31 after the child reaches the age of six
years
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men / women
Men / women―
Paid based on working hours―

Application for Short-time Work for Child Care
(Must be accompanied by a certified copy of the birth registration)[⑯ Partial leave for childcare] Deadline for submitting of required documents : 1 month in advanceDescription
PeriodTargetPayment
statusDocuments
required

Employees raising a pre-elementary school age child may request to grant partial leave during
regular working hours of the day.
The period requested, until the first March 31 after the child reaches the age of six years
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men / women
Men / women
Men / women
The amount for non-working hours subtracted from the full salary
Application for Partial Child Care Leave(Must be accompanied by a certified copy of the birth registration)[⑰ Restrictions on overtime work for childcare] Deadline for submitting of required documents : 2 weeks in advanceDescription
PeriodTargetDocuments
required

Employees raising a pre-elementary school age child may request to limit their overtime work
hours to within 24 hours per month and within 150 hours per year.
A period of one month to one year, until the first March 31 after the day the child reaches theage of six years
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men / women
Men / women
Men / womenRestriction Request for Overtime/Late-Night Work
(Must be accompanied by a certified copy of the birth registration)

6

[⑱ Restrictions on late-night work] Deadline for submitting of required documents : 2 weeks in advanceDescription
PeriodTargetDocuments
required

Employees raising a pre-elementary school age child may request to exempt from late-nightwork (10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.)
A period of one month to six months, until the first March 31 after the day the child reaches
the age of six years.
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men / women
Men / women
Men / womenRestriction Request for Overtime/Late-Night Work
(Must be accompanied by a certified copy of the birth registration)

Support systems available during pregnancy and childcare[⑲ Staggered working hours] Deadline for submitting of required documents : 2 weeks in advanceDescription

PeriodTargetDocuments
required

Employees who are pregnant or raising a child who has not yet entered junior high school may
request a change in working hours or rest periods within a two-hour time limit.
During pregnancy and up to the first March 31 after the child reaches 12 years of age, for aperiod of not less than 2 weeks and not more than 1 year
*Can be changed in 30-minute increments
Regular/fixed-Term
Limited regular
Associate/part-time
employees
employees
employees
Men / women
Men / women
Men / womenTime Difference Attendance Application Form

reference information
Human Resources Planning Department Web Page
Please refer to the Human Resources Planning Department Web page
"Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Childcare Support Systems" for reference
information.
https://c.bureau.tohoku.ac.jp/jinji-top/external/a-4-kosodate/

MEMO

7

Benefits Available
Childcare leave benefits (from employment insurance program)
An insured person who leaves work to care for a child under the age of one year or one year and two months*1 (under
the age of one year and six months if eligible for extension of the benefit period*2) is eligible for childcare leave benefits
if there are at least 12 months in total, during the two-year period preceding the date on which the leave started, inwhich the number of days on which his/her wage payment is based is 11 or more (including months with 80 or more
hours as the basis for payment of wages if such months are less than 12 months). Since October 2022, childcare leave
can be taken twice in installments*3.
In principle, the amount of childcare leave benefits during the base paid period (one month) is calculated as follows:
The amount of the benefits = daily wages at the start of leave x paid days x 67% (50% after six months of leave)

1

Mom & Dad Child Care Leave Plus
When both parents take child-care leave and meet certain conditions, childcare leave benefits are provided for up
to one year until the day before the child reaches one year and two months of age.

[Example 1]
MotherStarting date ofchildcare leave
Maternity leave
after birth

Father[Example 2]
MotherChildcare leave

Starting date ofchildcare leave

Father2Childcare leave
Benefits paid

Maternity leave
after birthAge of 1 year &2 months

Age of 1 year

Age of 1 year &2 months

Age of 1 year

Childcare leave

Benefits paidChildcare
leave

Extension of the Benefit Period

If certain conditions are met, such as the case where the employee’s application is not accepted by any day-care
center for children,* the period for which childcare benefits are received are extended until the day before thechild reaches the age of one year and six months.
If you take additional childcare leave after the day your child reaches the age of 1 year and 6 months, the period
for which the benefits are received is extended until the day before the child reaches the age of 2 years.
Starting date ofAge of 1 year &[Example 1]
Age of 1 year
Age of 2 years
childcare leave

MotherMaternity leave
after birth

6 months

Childcare leave

Extended

ExtendedBenefits paid

[Example 2]
MotherFatherStarting date ofchildcare leave
Maternity leave
after birthChildcare leave

Age of 1 year
Age of 1 year &2 months

Age of 2 years

Benefits paidChildcare
leave

Extended

Extended（Note）The “day-care center for children” referred to herein means nursery centers defined in Article 39 of theChild Welfare Act of Japan, prefecture-certified centers for early childhood education and care, andnursery facilities authorized by municipal governments, including home daycare services, small-sizedchildcare services, employer-provided childcare services, and home-visit daycare services. Unauthorizedchildcare facilities are not included.

8

3

Split Childcare Leave

・ In principle, childcare leave benefits are available for up to two childcare leaves for a child under one year of age.
・ Benefits are not available for the third or subsequent childcare leave. However, the following exceptions apply.
・ In addition, if there is a reason for extending childcare leave and the couple takes turns taking childcare leave (extension
by alternation), they may receive childcare leave benefits only once for each of the following periods: from 1 year to 1 year
and 6 months and from 1 year and 6 months to 2 years of age.
[Reasons for exceptions to the frequency limitation]
I.
When childcare leave ends due to the start of maternity leave or childcare leave for another child, or family care leave
for another family member, and the new leave ends due to the death of the eligible child or family member, etc.
II.
When a spouse who is taking care of a child under one year of age who is eligible to apply for childcare leave becomesunable to take care of the child due to death, injury, etc., or because the spouse no longer lives with the child due todissolution of marriage, etc.
III. When a child under one year of age who is the subject of a request for childcare leave needs care for more than 2
weeks due to injury, illness, etc.
IV. When a child under one year of age who is the subject of a request for childcare leave wishes to use childcare services
at a daycare center, etc. and has applied for such services, but such services will not be provided for the time being.

Example of Counting Times
Childbirth

8 weeks
afterchildbirthAge of
1 yearNo reasonfor exception

1st

Case 1)

Personhimself

Exceptions

2nd

Age of 1 year &6 months

✖

2nd

1st

Age of 2 years

Extension byalternation

Case 2)
spouseCase 3)

1st

1st

Extension byalternation

2nd

2nd

(A)

ExceptionsⅠ(A) Leave to care for other family members(B)

ExceptionsⅠ(B) Childcare leave for other children

In addition, a childcare leave at birth program was established, which can be taken for up to four weeks within an 8 week
period.
This leave at birth can be taken twice in installments and is eligible for benefits (Childcare leave at birth benefit).
[Payment Requirements]
・ At least 12 complete months with at least 11 basic days of wage payment (or if not, at least 80 hours of working time) in
the two years prior to the start of the leave.
・ The number of working days during the period of absence must be less than or equal to a maximum of 10 days (if morethan 10 days, the number of hours worked must be less than 80 hours). (These are the number of days and hours for a 28day absence; if shorter than 28 days, the number of days and hours will be reduced in proportion to the number of days
worked.) *Tohoku University employees are not permitted to work during the period of leave.
[allowance]
Daily wage at the start of leave (in principle, the amount obtained by dividing the wage for the six months prior to the startof childcare leave by 180) × number of days paid × 67%.
(The number of days paid will be totaled to 180 days, which is the maximum number of days for which the childcare leave
benefit rate is 67%.)9

Childcare leave benefits (from mutual aid association)
When an employee who takes childcare leave is not eligible for childcare benefits under the employment insurance
program, he/she will receive childcare leave benefits from a mutual aid association.
The childcare leave benefits are provided during the period until the child reaches the age of one year or one year andtwo months (or the age of one year and six months in cases where an extension of time is granted).
In principle, the amount of childcare leave benefits is calculated as follows:
The amount of the benefits = daily amount of standard remuneration wages x days on childcare leave x 67% (50% after
six months of leave)

Childbirth allowance/family allowance for dependent’s childbirth (from mutual aid association)
When a mutual aid association member gives birth, she will receive a childbirth allowance of ¥500,000. (When amember’s dependent gives birth, the payment is made as a family allowance for the dependent’s childbirth.) For
multiple births, ¥40,000 is additionally paid per baby born. For a childbirth at a medical institution that does notparticipate in the Japan Obstetric Compensation System for Cerebral Palsy, the amount of the lump-sum allowance is¥488,000, with ¥40,000 for each of multiple babies.

Exemption from payment of mutual aid premium (or social insurance premium)
By submitting a claim, premiums will be exempted from 42 days (98 days in the case of multiple pregnancies) before and56 days after childbirth during the maternity leave. (The actual exemption period is on a monthly basis, from the monthin which the maternity leave before childbirth begins to the month preceding the month in which the day following theend of the postpartum leave falls (or the month in which the maternity leave after childbirth ends if the end of the
postpartum leave falls on the last day of the month)).
If you take childcare leave, you are exempted from paying premiums by filing a report if you meet certain
requirements ;if you are in the period of childcare leave (including childcare leave at birth, the same below) at the end of
the month, or if you took childcare leave for 14 days or more during the month, or if you took childcare leave for morethan one month for premiums related to bonuses.

Information on on-campus childcare facilities
For its faculty and other staff members who are raising pre-elementary school age children, Tohoku University has threechildcare facilities and one daycare facility for convalescent children on campus.
Facility

capacity

Eligible departments

Kawauchi Keyaki
Nursery school

22

All departments

Aobayama Midori
Nursery school

116

All departments

Hoshinoko
Nursery school

120

Tohoku University
Hospital

Hoshinoko Room3

All departments

Eligible users

TU personnel& students

Contact information

Gender Equality and Nursery School
Section
Human Resources and Planning
Division, Human Resources andPlanning Department
TEL: 022-217-4811
E-MAIL: hoiku@grp.tohoku.ac.jp
Nursery School Section
General Affairs Division
Tohoku University Hospital
TEL: 022-717-7032
E-MAIL: hos-hoiku@grp.tohoku.ac.jp

In addition to daycare facilities, the University has also provided support programs for female researchers
who are raising children. For details, please see the following website.
Tohoku University Center for Gender Equality Promotion “TUMUG”
U R L http://tumug.tohoku.ac.jp/

10For Inquiries/Consultations
Contact information
For more details on various systems,
please consult the administration
office of your department first.

Section in
chargeTEL○○ Section, Graduate School of ○○○022-000-0000

E - m a i l aaaaaaaaa@grp.tohoku.ac.jp

Contact information (for department’s administration)[Leave/Staggered working hours-related matters]
Labor Management Section
Labor and Health Administration Division, Human Resources and Planning Department 022-217-4822

syokuin@grp.tohoku.ac.jp[Absence-from-work-related matters]
Appointment and Retirement Section
Payroll and Labor Affairs Division, Human Resources and Planning Department022-217-4829

nin2@grp.tohoku.ac.jp022-217-4900

qyo@grp.tohoku.ac.jp[Wage/Benefits-related matters]
Payroll and Benefits Section
Payroll and Labor Affairs Division, Human Resources and Planning Department

Other Consultation Services
Consultation Service Office for Faculty/Staff Members
For consultation on labor-related issues, such as problems or complaints relating to work, and physical/mental
health concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the Consultation Service Office for Faculty/Staff Members.
Consultants will provide support to resolve your problem with minimum infringement on your intention. Advancereservations are required via email or phone.
[Contact]

TEL: 022-217-4967
E-MAIL: soudan@grp.tohoku.ac.jp

Please access the following website for further information on consultation services.
(On-campus access only)
https://www.srp.tohoku.ac.jp/bureau/c/jinji-top/allstaff/b-5-sodan/

Gender equality consultation services
Tohoku University has been making University-wide efforts to promote gender equality by establishing theGender Equality Promotion Committee, which consists of the executive vice president in charge of genderequality and representatives from various departments.
If you have any questions or require consultation about support for female researchers and gender equality,
please do not hesitate to contact the Tohoku University Center for Gender Equality Promotion.
Gender Equality and Nursery School Section
Human Resources and Planning Division, Human Resources and Planning Department
TEL: 022-217-4811
E-MAIL: danjyo@grp.tohoku.ac.jp
Tohoku University Center for Gender Equality Promotion TUMUG
TEL: 022-217-6092
E-MAIL: office@tumug.tohoku.ac.jp

11