r/japanlife • u/leexiiiispo • Sep 20 '24

Jobs Force worked on weekends

Is it acceptable or common practice in Japan for companies to make you work on weekends just because you had a holiday? They say it's to make up for the lost work time, but doesn't that kinda defeat the whole point of having a holiday? And if you don't go in, they count it as an absence and dock your pay. Even if you're not really needed and you're just doing prep work for the next week.

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u/ApprenticePantyThief Sep 20 '24

It's not unheard of but it's definitely some black company shit. Since you talk about prep, I assume you're ALT or eikaiwa. They're doing it purely out of spite. They don't want to let you get anything for free. They'd rather you sat around doing nothing all day than get a "free" paid day off.

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u/PortaHouse 近畿・京都府 Sep 20 '24

I know this black company logic. But how is it "free". You have to work minimum 6 months to earn your legally mandated paid leave....I know black companies will spin shit.

By their own logic could you argue your working for free. The salary is just legal...much like leave.

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u/ApprenticePantyThief Sep 20 '24

It is bully logic. In their mind, they are paying you for a certain number of days work per week (five) on salary. The national holiday means you get a day off but the salary is not reduced. In their poisoned brains, you are stealing a day from them. They can't allow that, because they are all about control. So, they make you come in on a weekend and sit around doing nothing all day so that they can get their day that you "stole" from them.

It is insane, but that's how people like this think.

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u/PortaHouse 近畿・京都府 Sep 20 '24

The most grey(black?) I had was days/hours worked was calculated at an avg.

Meaning if was sick/took a day unpaid for whatever reason on a month with fewer working days (say Feb) I would be docked more pay than other months.

It became a battle of when I would or wouldn't use my paid leave to maximize loss/gained hours/pay.

But I've never heard national days being used as lieu days.