[Minamisoma City, Fukushima] Smiles for both those taking leave and those supporting them! First in Tohoku! Launching the "Childcare Leave Support Allowance" to reward colleagues who support childcare leave.

Minamisoma City, Fukushima (Mayor: Kazuo Monma), is promoting various measures under the slogan of "creating a city where child-rearing generations can live and raise children with peace of mind." To further promote the acquisition of childcare leave within the city hall and to reward the burden and contribution of surrounding staff who took over the duties during the absence of employees, we will introduce a new system (commonly known as the "Childcare Leave Support Appreciation System") starting with the bonus in June 2026, which adds to the performance allowance for staff who supported the work of employees who took childcare or nursing leave. We will realize both an "environment where it is easy to take childcare leave" and a "mechanism to reward surrounding support" at the same time. While operating the system, we will consider improvements and, based on the efforts at the city hall, we will also consider measures to improve the workplace environment of companies in the city. 1. Background and Purpose of Introduction: While promoting the acquisition of childcare and nursing leave is essential for improving work-life balance, the "increase in the burden of work on surrounding staff" in workplaces where leave-takers occur has been an issue. This system aims to appropriately evaluate and financially reward the contributions of staff who supported the work of absent employees, thereby fostering an environment where the entire workplace can take leave and support each other without hesitation. Note that the financial resources for this allowance utilize the surplus of the performance allowance deducted for the period during which the leave-taker themselves did not work, making it a mechanism that does not involve new additional financial resources. 2. Overview of the System: (1) Application Period: Applied from April 1, 2026 (scheduled to be reflected from the June 2026 bonus). (2) Target Leave/Absence: Childcare leave of 1 month or more, pre- and post-natal leave, sick leave/absence, nursing leave (excluding periods when substitute staff are assigned). (3) Eligible Staff: Full-time staff who took over the duties of employees who took childcare leave, etc. (up to 5 people per leave-taker). (4) Additional Amount: Add 0.03 months of performance allowance per month according to the period of work burden (days less than 1 month are rounded down. *In the case of a monthly salary of 300,000 yen, approximately 9,000 yen per month, and a maximum of approximately 54,000 yen for 6 months. *Adjusted according to the total payment limit under the ordinance).