Words such as seishain, part-timer and arubaito
are widely used because they are convenient inclassifying the type of worker (as to theirdifference).
＊Even when referred to in the same way, the details of a
英語版
せいしゃいん【正社員

job may differ depending on the company.

Regular employee】

Employed directly, with no fixed period of employment, and generally has a role with more
responsibilities than other forms of employment.
ひ せ い き しゃいん

【非正規社員Non-regular employee】

Workers who are not regular employees. Some are contract employees, whose period ofemployment is specified in the contract; temporary workers whose dispatch destination is based on
the agency’s temporary contract; part-timers, with shorter working hours than regular employees;
arubaito, who are generally students whose main priority is not employment.
ふ りー

た ー

【フリーター Freeter (a freelance worker; from the combination of the English word,“free” and the German word, “arbeiter”, meaning “worker” )】A person who is generally aged between 15 and 34, who has been working for extensive period asa non-regular employee, and desires to work only as a non-regular employee (excluding students or
those devoted to housework).



Relationship between age and annual income by gender,
educational background, type of employment (from the principal job)
Male, regular employee

Female, regular employee

Male, part-timer, arubaito

Female, part-timer, arubaito(man yen)(man yen)

years old

【Annual income of a senior high school graduate】
Even if I do not have toworry at present, there isa big difference when theincrease in wages andlifestyle stability arecompared.

years old

【Annual income of a college graduate】

In the case of regular employees, annual income (such as salary earned ina year, etc.) and income per hour (hourly wage) tend to increase with theemployee’s age. However, the annual and per hour income of part-timers intheir teenage years and in their 40’s remain almost constant, and wages tend
not to rise with their age, as compared to regular employees.
独立行政法人 労働政策研究・研修機構「若年者の就業状況・キャリア・職業能力開発の現状②―平成 24 年版『就業構造基本調査』より―」

●Systems applicable to non-regular employees
Compared to regular employees, systems such as the “retirement allowance plan”, etc., tend to be lessapplicable to other employees (they do not fall under those qualified for the system).

 Percentage of workers based on type of employment, the condition of the current company’s
application of various systems, etc.
Multiple answers (Unit: %) Year 2014
こ ようほ けんしゅうぎょう け い た い

就業 形態Type of employment

雇用保険

健康保険

けんこう ほ け ん

厚生年金

こうせいねんきん

たいしょくきん せ い ど

退 職 金制度

賞与支給制度しょうよしきゅう せ い ど

福利厚生施設等Unemployment
insurance

Healthinsurance

Employees’
pensionRetirement

Bonus systemの利用

制度

Utilization of

Selfdevelopment
assistancesystemallowance plan

ふ く り こうせい し せ つ とうり ようじ

こ けいはつえんじょ

自己啓発援助せ いど

welfarefacilities, etc.

Regular employee

92.5

99.3

99.1

80.6

86.1

54.2

36.8

Workers other thanregular employees

67.7

54.7

52.0

9.6

31.0

23.8

10.1

83.8

81.1

76.5

10.9

15.8

26.6

13.2

Contract employee

83.0

87.6

83.5

14.2

42.8

34.0

12.7

Part-time worker

60.6

37.6

35.3

4.3

23.9

17.6

7.3

Contingent (casual)
worker19.4

14.5

14.8

7.4

11.4

8.5

1.9

Temp. worker dispatched byan agency (haken geisha)

厚生労働省「平成 26 年就業形態の多様化に関する総合実態調査」より一部抜粋

●Reasons why companies do not give merit to a “freeter’s” workexperience.
Most of the respondents (almost 70%) answered: “They do not have the perseverance and may quit their jobs
anytime.” Next popular answers are: “They have no skill or knowledge appropriate for their age.” “They need to be
educated in professionalism, etc.”
Depending on the company, a person who experienced being a “freeter”, may be regarded as someone lacking inprofessionalism.

Reasons why being a previous “freeter” is considered a minus factor. (Multiple answers

Totalcompanies(1288 社)

NoNo skill or

Need to be

No sense ofFinds it

It is difficult toperseverance

knowledge

educated inresponsibility

difficult to fit

grasp theirand may quit

appropriate

professionalism,

into thepersonality

any time

for their age

etc.

organization.

７１．７

４７．５

When theyjoin acompany,
evaluation
andplacement isdifficult todetermine.

Others%)No response

４４．９

４３．５

３８．１

２５．９

２０．０１．８０．１＜Employment of a freeter: Yes / No ＞
Haveemployed

７７．０

４４．７

４２．１

５４．６

３６．８

２５．７

７．９

２．０

０．０

７１．１

４７．８

４５．３

４１．６

３８．５

２５．８

２１．９

１．８０．１(152 社)
Do notemploy(1123 社)
Total number of companies that responded that being a “freeter” is a “minus factor” during employment.
独立行政法人

労働政策研究・研修機構「企業における若年層の募集・採用等に関する実態調査」より一部抜粋

These data were edited by Shiga Intercultural Association for Globalization, based on the reference, “Seishain? Freeter?
What is the difference??” (Published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare).