Unfortunately, it is often the case that women and men are expected to perform different roles in the workplace in Japan. Therefore, men and women are usually assigned different tasks at work. The Act on Securing Equal Opportunity and Treatment between Men and Women in Employment seeks to remedy this discriminatory behavior.
The Act states, among other things, that employers must not discriminate between men and women in assignments or allocation of duties. For example, if a company has a policy where only the women employees are expected to serve tea to the guests, even though men of the same position never receive this assignment, the women at this company might have a viable case for sexual harassment or discrimination.
This legal principle also applies to denying women work that normally is assigned to men. If a boss routinely refuses to assign overtime work to his female employees, he is illegally discriminating against them, even if his motives derive from a desire to protect his female staff.
If you have any questions about discrimination laws in Japan, please contact our office for a legal consultation.ination?