The following news item is a translation of 育休からの復帰時に降格と減俸 女性社員がコナミを提訴 by Andrea Rubenstein.
Female employee of Konami sues for receiving a paycut and demotion after returning from maternity leave
2009.6.16 17:59
It is illegal in Japan to demote and/or cut the wages of a staff member returning from maternity leave. However, on the 16th Yoko Sekiguchi (36), an employee of game company Konami Digital Entertainment (Tokyo), began a lawsuit against the company. She is seeking ¥33,000,000 ($344,000 USD) in compensation for the loss of her position, loss of wages, and other damages.
According to the complaint, Sekiguchi’s job entailed negotiating the overseas licensing of foreign team names and players for use in a soccer game. In July of last year she took time off for her pregnancy, and then began maternity leave in October, which lasted until April of this year. Upon her return, the company told her that she was to receive a demotion and a change in station, citing concerns that health and childcare burdens would interfere with her work if she went back to her original job. Her new salary was about ¥200,000 ($2,000 USD) less per month than her previous salary.
Regarding the company’s decision, Sekiguchi stated, “This is a case of discrimination aimed at female employees returning from maternity leave,” claiming that this was a violation of the Labor Standards Act as well as going against the equality rights outlined in the constitution. She further stated that, “I decided to go ahead with this lawsuit because of the other women out there who are facing the same treatment.”
Konami’s statement on the matter reads, “We have not yet received the complaint and so we have no comment.”
-Sankei Shinbun
