The revised Child Care and Family Care Leave Act goes into effect in October, and the child care leave period is going to be extended!

◆Goes into effect on October 1!
The “revised Child Care and Family Care Leave Act” goes into effect on October 1 of this year. The current revision to the law makes it possible to extend the child care leave period up until when the child is 2 years of age if the child is unable to enter a nursery school.

◆“Until 1 year and 6 months” becomes “until 2 years”
As a rule, the current child care leave period is until when the child turns 1 year old, but this can be extended until 1 year and 6 months if the child is unable to enter a nursery school. With the current revision, even after child care leave that lasts until the child turns 1 year and 6 months has been obtained, this can be further extended upon request by the employee to allow him or her to continue employment, up until when the child turns 2 years old when there exist special circumstances that require leave to be taken after the child turns 1 year and 6 months old.

For example, when a child who will turn 1 year and 6 months old in December is unable to enter a nursery school despite the fact that a parent’s child care leave is scheduled to end, the parent can avoid having to quit his or her job if he or she can obtain child care leave lasting until April, when nursery schools are relatively easier to enter.

Leave extensions will be recognized not only when a child is unable to enter a nursery school, but also when a spouse rearing a child becomes unable to rear that child due to illness or other circumstances.
Because the start date for child care leave lasting until the child is 2 years of age must be the day after the day that the child reaches 1 year and 6 months of age, requests for this extension of child care leave must be made at the latest by the start time of work on the day after the day that the child reaches 1 year and 6 months of age.

Furthermore, in accordance with the current revision, the benefit period for child care leave benefits will be extended until the child turns 2 years of age.

◆Please remember the change of company rules shall be required along with this law revisions.