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Pension and National Health Insurance Question

 
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Bruin



Joined: 08 Jun 2017
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sat Jun 17, 2017 11:11 pm    Post subject: Pension and National Health Insurance Question Reply with quote

Hello all,

If there is a site that clearly explains this or a previous post, please direct me accordingly. I did a search and didn't find anything. My question is how pension and health insurance work in relation to your employer. Isn't it the case that the employer, if not part-time and working more than 29 hours per week, pays half of the pension? Also, regardless of hours worked, doesn't the employer pay half of the health insurance?

If working for one of those companies that cap the hours worked at 29, can a worker still choose to pay pension? And will the pension office still charge the full amount, even though the company is not contributing?

For those that sponsor their own visas with a bunch of part-time jobs, this would be the case for them, wouldn't it? Paying 100% of everything on their own?

I ask because for people who want to remain in Japan, not paying pension can lead to problems, I believe.
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Maitoshi



Joined: 04 May 2014
Posts: 718
Location: 何処でも

PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 4:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know of a website that addresses this in English, but from personal experience, I paid my full pension contributions when I was P/T at a few places. In fact, it didn't seem like it was optional, though others have stated otherwise. The kind folks at City Hall did grant me an exemption from contributions when I wasn't yet being paid, though.
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mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 6:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The pension amount paid for depends on your wages from the previous year.
Once you make less money the year is tough since the deductions don't go down.

There are people who do not pay for health insurance even though they are full time. They manage to opt out of it.

Once part-time it is simple, since you get bills in the mail and it is easy to be late or to not even pay, or to get behind.
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The Transformer



Joined: 03 Mar 2017
Posts: 69

PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did this about 8-10 years ago, so things may have changed. I worked several part-time jobs and paid kokumin kenko hoken (national health insurance), which just covers health (the only other option was to get a private health insurance). The payments worked out at 8.5% of the previous year's income.

I know there have been changes to the law regarding shakai hoken/employees' health insurance, which covers health and pension. Whereas companies used to enrol people working 30 hours or more a week, the new law brought in last year stipulates that companies with more than 500 employees MUST enrol people working 20 hours or more per week.

There's information on it here:

http://generalunion.org/index.php/legal-issues/1346-shakai-hoken-laws-are-changing-in-2016-how-will-you-be-affected
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Bruin



Joined: 08 Jun 2017
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 6:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will want to enroll myself in the shakai hoken and it looks like I will have to pay it all. I hope it's not more than 40,000 yen per month.
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mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Wed Jun 21, 2017 3:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You look to see if your country signed the totalization agreement with Japan. Otherwise you don't want to pay into the system if you aren't going to get your money back.
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Bruin



Joined: 08 Jun 2017
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm American. How do I check this?
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mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Mon Jun 26, 2017 6:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The US embassy website. It was signed years ago.
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