Customer harassment countermeasures become an employer obligation (from October 1, 2026, Reiwa 8)New rules started to protect people who work in shops and companies from “customer harassment”
Under the June 2025 (Reiwa 7) amendment to the Act on Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Policies, countermeasures against customer harassment became an employer obligation from October 1, 2026 (Reiwa 8). The scope covers words and actions by customers, business partners, facility users and others that exceed what is socially acceptable and harm workers’ working environment, including phone calls and social media.
- 1. PolicyMake known a policy of responding firmly and protecting workers
- 2. DeskSet up a consultation desk with staff who respond appropriately
- 3. ConfirmationConfirm the facts promptly and accurately; give consideration and prevent recurrence
- 4. Malicious casesPolicy and system for especially malicious cases
- 5. ProtectionProtect privacy and prohibit disadvantageous treatment
Key points
- Covered conduct must meet all three conditions: words or actions by customers, business partners, users, etc.; exceeding what is socially acceptable given the nature of the work; and harming the workers’ working environment.
- Clarify the policy and make it known, and set up and publicize a consultation desk.
- When a consultation is received, confirm the facts promptly and accurately, give consideration to the victim, and take measures to prevent recurrence.
- Prepare a policy and a system for dealing with malicious cases.
- Protect the consulting person’s privacy and make it known that disadvantageous treatment because of a consultation is prohibited.
What to do in practice
- Make the policy on customer harassment and the consultation desk known within the company, and reflect them in the internal rules.
- Decide the response procedure, the policy for malicious cases, and how to keep records.
Customer harassment means customers and others hurling terrible words at people who are working, or staying for a very long time. From October 1, companies must prepare to protect their workers.
- ○Applies: Making unreasonable demands unrelated to the contract again and again
- ○Applies: Using abusive words or loud shouting to intimidate
- ○Applies: Staying at a shop or counter for hours
- ×Does not apply: A person with a disability asks for a problem to be fixed
Points
- It covers not only customers but also business partners, and words and actions by phone or on social media.
- Companies set up a consultation desk and make sure people who ask for help are not treated unfairly.
- Do not put up with it alone; it is important to talk early to your boss or the consultation desk.
What the words mean
- Customer harassment
- Extreme harassment or demands from customers and others
- Reasonable accommodation
- Making reasonable adjustments so that people with disabilities do not have trouble
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW): MHLW Web Magazine: Protecting Employees – New Rules on Customer Harassment Countermeasures
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.