Work-Life Balance Support Subsidy (Reiwa 8 fiscal year): amounts by course for childcare leave, family care and flexible workThe government supports companies that make it easier to balance childcare or family care with work
A subsidy (jyoseikin: grant) for employers who help employees balance work with childcare and family care. The Reiwa 8 guide lists these courses: support at childbirth, prevention of leaving work for family care, childcare leave support, support for covering duties during leave, support for flexible work-style systems, and support for fertility treatment and women's health issues.
Key points
- Childbirth work-life balance course: JPY 200,000 for the first male employee who takes childcare leave, JPY 100,000 for the second and third. If at least four measures to improve the workplace environment were taken before the first case, an extra JPY 100,000 is added for the first case
- Family care leave prevention course: JPY 400,000 for family care leave (5 or more consecutive days), JPY 600,000 for 15 or more consecutive days. Introducing a paid family care leave system earns JPY 300,000 (JPY 500,000 if 10 or more days are granted)
- Childcare leave support course: JPY 300,000 when an employee takes childcare leave and JPY 300,000 when the employee returns to work
- Duty coverage during leave course: hiring a replacement worker pays JPY 90,000 for a minimum of 7 days and up to JPY 810,000 for a year or more
- Flexible work-style course: JPY 200,000 when three systems are introduced and an employee uses them; JPY 300,000 each for fertility treatment, menstruation and menopause support systems once introduced and used
What to do in practice
- Choose the course that fits the system you want to introduce (childcare leave, family care, shorter hours, leave, etc.) and check when the requirements start
- Update work rules and keep records of actual use
This is a program that backs companies where people can keep working with peace of mind, even when a dad takes childcare leave or someone takes time off to care for a family member. Companies that make the effort receive a set amount of money. Companies that cover the work of the person on leave can receive it too.
- 1. PrepareSet up rules and a workplace that make taking leave easy
- 2. UseEmployees actually use the leave or system
- 3. ApplyApply to the labour bureau within the set period
- 4. PaymentThe subsidy is paid after the application passes review
Points
- When a man takes time off for a new baby, the company may receive JPY 200,000
- When someone who took time off to care for family returns to work, the company may receive JPY 400,000
- Companies that take over the absent person's work or hire a replacement can receive money too
What the words mean
- Childcare leave
- A system that lets people take a set period off work to raise a child after the baby is born
- Family care leave
- A system that lets people take a set period off work to look after a family member
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): MHLW: Guide to Employment and Labour Subsidies for Reiwa 8 (simplified version)
This article summarizes and explains materials published by government agencies and is not advice on any individual case. Rules can change, so for actual procedures and decisions always check the latest original materials and consult professionals such as tax accountants or labor and social security attorneys. English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese versions are translations prepared from the Japanese articles for convenience. If anything differs, the Japanese text and the original source take precedence.