Resigning / Quitting JET

## Resignation Letter

* Here is a template to follow for ALTs to hand to your Principle or Vice Principle. The Principle will then pass it on to the BoE to make your date of resignation official.

Notice of Resignation

To Director of International Education Planning Section

Global Human Resource Development Division

Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education

To the Director of International Education Planning Section,

At this time, for the reason(s) listed below, I would like to formally submit my intent to resign, effective XXXX,20XX.

Reasons for resignation:

X

X

X

Signed, Tokyo Metropolitan XXXX High School JET-ALT

Name: XXXX

Date: (yyyy/mm/dd)

## Procedures following resignation letter

For various reasons, a JET will break contract part way through their appointment and say goodbye to the JET Programme. After carefully deciding what is the best course for you, you decide its time to quit. But how do you do it and what are the proper procedures to make sure there are no loose ends?

The BoE recommends you give a letter of resignation at least **one month before your last day**. Make sure it has your name, position, school name, and the date of your final day.

After the school receives your letter, they will contact the BoE to start making the preparations for your departure. Make sure to check out the After JET Guide, the General Information Handbook by CLAIR, and the leaving checklist. Below are some general procedures to do before leaving.

### Remuneration

Generally resigning JET’s final paycheck will be awarded on the 15th day of the month right before their resignation date. It might be better to keep your Japanese bank account open to receive your final remuneration and pay any last minute fees depending on the date you leave Japan.

Additionally, in the case that transportation expenses for after the month you resign have already been given to you, you must return these transportation expenses to your school’s administrative office in cash. Please inquire with your school’s administrative office staff regarding the amount to return.

### Income Tax

When you depart the country, your final remuneration will be used to decide your income tax for this year and any excesses or insufficiencies will be calculated; this process is called end-of-year adjustment. Income tax is withheld at source each month. If you overpaid, you will be refunded the excess amount. If you underpaid, you must make an additional payment. Additionally, you will be given a “Tax Withholding Statement” stating your total remuneration for this year.

If you will continue to live in Japan, excesses or insufficiencies will not be calculated except for resignation in December, and you will only be given a “Tax Withholding Statement”.

### Social Insurance Premiums

If you resign at the end of the month, you must pay social insurance premiums for the entire month of resignation. If you resign in the middle of the month, you do not have to pay social insurance premiums for the month of resignation. Since the public mutual aid (short-term and long-term) premiums are deducted from the current month's remuneration, there is no deduction for the month of retirement if the employee retires in the middle of the month.

On the other hand, the monthly welfare premium is deducted from the next month’s remuneration. For example, January’s welfare premium is deducted from February’s remuneration. Due to this, 2 months’ worth of welfare premiums will be deducted from your final remuneration when resigning at the end of the month.

However, if you resign in the middle of the month, you will be deducted only **one month’s welfare premium**.

### Resident Tax

Resident tax is calculated by each municipality based on your total remuneration from the previous year. It is evenly divided into 12 months and is deducted starting from your June remuneration the following year. For example, resident tax for 2021 is paid from June 2022 to May 2023. Therefore, even if you resign in the middle of the year, if there is any remaining resident tax that you are currently being deducted, you must pay the rest of that resident tax.

If you will depart Japan, the remaining amount will be deducted in a lump sum so please sign the **Request for Resident Tax Lump Sum Payment form** and submit it to your administrative office staff.

If you will continue working or staying in Japan, the municipality where you were residing at the beginning of the year will issue the payment slip(s). You can choose to pay yourself or have your next job deduct it monthly. Please decide after you have resigned.

Please confirm with your administrative office regarding the remaining amount of resident tax.

For more information check out the wiki page Residence Tax

### Travel Expenses

Regarding any business trip travel expenses that you have not yet received, please consult with your administrative office. Additionally, in the case that **commuting allowance** for after the month you resign have already been given to you, you must return these transportation expenses to your school’s administrative office in cash. Please inquire with your school’s administrative office staff regarding the amount to return.

Also, as the JET is breaking contract, they do not qualify for the **return flight** to their home country. In the case of quitting JET and leaving Japan, you will have to pay your own airfare back home.

### Health Insurance

You will lose these benefits as soon as your contract is terminated, so please return your blue insurance card to your school’s administrative office on your last day.

If after resigning you will stay in Japan but not immediately begin working, please quickly visit your city office to register for national health insurance.

### Losing Mutual-Aid Association Membership

You will lose membership qualifications for the Mutual-Aid Association the day after your contract ends. Your school’s administrative office will complete the procedures related to losing membership. Please hand-in your membership card to the administrative office on your last work day.

  In regards to the membership fee, you must pay the monthly fee for the month when your contract ends.

### About Employment Insurance & Unemployment benefits

Please fill out the “Confirmation for Release of Work Related Documents Concerning Employment Insurance” and submit it to the person in charge of the administrative office. If you wish to remain in Japan after resigning and continue to receive unemployment benefits and engage in job search activities, you must receive an employment insurance release form (Rishokuhyo).

Unemployment benefits are only given when the unemployed person has submitted an “Application for Work” to the Public Employment Security Office (**Hello Work Shinjuku**) along with the Rishokuhyo. You cannot submit the “Application for Work” if you are currently employed or your next place of employment has been decided.

For more information on unemployment check: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/file/06-Seisakujouhou-11600000-Shokugyouanteikyoku/0000198944.pdf

### About the Pension Withdrawal Lump-sum

Foreigners who have entered into Japan’s public pension service are able to withdraw their pension lump-sums within 2 years of returning to their home country. The procedure for this will need to be carried out by the JET, themselves. Please read the Japan Pension Organization’s homepage thoroughly before continuing with this procedure.

URL: https://www.nenkin.go.jp/international/japanese-system/withdrawalpayment/payment.html

Also check out the wiki page Pension Refund (Public)

### Post-JET Contact Information

Please share your contact information (address, e-mail) to your school’s principal and vice principal. Even after leaving JET, you are an important representative of the bond between your country and Japan.

In addition, for those of you who are returning to your home countries, over the past year, your colleagues have surely grown fond of you and worry about your well-being. Once you have arrived back in your country, please contact your school to let them know that you have arrived safely.

### Staying in Japan

Check out the wiki page Working in Japan after JET