Insider Tips from a Certified Social Insurance Specialist: Can't You Pay Severance to Part-Timers? The Secret Workaround of 'Severance Hourly Wage Add-On' to Survive the 2026 'Equal Pay for Equal Work' Reform

The Claire Human Resource Education Association (Headquarters: Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yasuhiro Sakai) has released a new video explaining the 'Hourly Wage Add-On for Severance Benefits'—a practical solution for management and HR professionals struggling with providing severance benefits to non-regular employees under the revised 'Equal Pay for Equal Work Guidelines,' effective October 1, Reiwa 8 (2026).

The major revision to the guidelines now requires balanced severance payments to part-timers and fixed-term employees if the purpose of the severance benefit is defined as 'deferred compensation for labor.' However, many small and medium-sized enterprises continue to struggle with practical issues such as 'lack of financial resources to establish a new retirement system for all part-timers' and 'unfairness between employees working four days a week versus one day, making system design overly complex.'

To overcome this 'system-building barrier,' a workaround approach is to prepay severance benefits as an 'hourly wage add-on (retirement hourly wage).' For example, if the average monthly retirement contribution for regular employees (e.g., mid-career public pension premiums) is 10,000 yen, this equates to approximately 60 yen per hour based on 160 working hours per month. If a part-timer's job scope and responsibility are assessed at 50% of a regular employee's, adding a 'retirement hourly wage' of 30 yen to their base hourly rate can satisfy the 'reasonable balance' required under the Equal Pay for Equal Work principle.

Summary Video of the Seminar

A summary version of the seminar is now available on YouTube for media professionals and corporate representatives. It enables quick understanding of the system's overview and key points.

Individual Q&A Session for Media and Corporations

Our dedicated certified social insurance specialists will directly answer your questions about the background of this issue and more specific case studies not fully covered in the video.

Date: July 22, 2026 (Wednesday), 12:00–18:00 (Times adjustable for individual arrangements)

Format: Phone or online (either is acceptable)

Target Audience: Media, press, and corporate representatives

Fee: Free

Registration: Please contact the secretariat at [email protected].

Questions We Answer

- Why does the guideline revision create an obligation to pay severance benefits to part-timers?

- Which is more reasonable: building a retirement system from scratch or using the 'hourly wage add-on'?

- What are the specific calculation methods and how should responsibility ratios be determined when applying the 'retirement hourly wage add-on'?

- How should the hourly add-on be documented in employment rules or employment condition notices?

- What are the key points for internal communication to prevent dissatisfaction between regular and non-regular employees?

Instructor Introduction Jun Ono (Ono Jun) Certified Social Insurance and Labor Consultant. Has conducted over 400 harassment and labor training sessions cumulatively for corporations and educational institutions. Renowned for practical lectures emphasizing how to implement legal frameworks in real-world settings. Also serves as supervisor and instructor for the Employment Clean Planner certification.

About the Claire Human Resource Education Association

Established in 2023 as a group company of SA Co., Ltd. Specializes in certification and training programs focused on employment, labor management, and harassment prevention. Over 750 individuals nationwide have obtained the 'Employment Clean Planner' certification and are active in corporations, local governments, and educational institutions.

Official Website: https://koyo-clean.com/