Like other countries, Japan also has a paid leave system for people who unfortunately get sick or hospitalized. However, there are cases where they have to take a long leave for treatment and exceed the possible amount of paid leave.

Unpaid leave, pressure from medical and living expenses are what make foreigners in Japan really worried. So what is the solution in this case? To avoid losing your own benefits, read our “Injury and Sickness Allowance in Japan” article down below!

What is Injury and Sickness Allowance?

Injury and Sickness Allowance (傷病手当金) is a benefit you receive in case of an injury or illness that requires hospitalization for treatment or convalescence as prescribed by a doctor for at least 4 days and is certified not healthy enough to work.

If you get sick or injured at work, you will be subsidized by Industrial accident Insurance (労働災害保険) but not by the long-term sick leave allowance of the Social Insurance (社会保険).

And only those who are working and paying Social Insurance will be entitled to this allowance. For those who only work for private companies and only pay National Insurance will NOT BE COVERED.

Thus, in order to be eligible for Injury and Sickness Allowance, the following conditions must be met:

Injury/Illness not due to work.
Taking more than 4 days off work to take necessary medical treatment.
There is no income during the treatment.
Certified by a physician as incapable of working during the period of treatment.

Benefits of this allowance:

The amount you will receive is about 2/3 of your monthly salary. The calculation formula is as follows:

【Average salary of 12 months before the sick leave】: (30 days) x 2/3

To be eligible to receive the subsidy, you also need to be aware of the following bullets:

Required to pay Social Insurance during the treatment.
If the company still pays you part of your monthly salary, you will not receive this benefit (no income is required).
Only one subsidy can be received at a time. For example, if you are sick during maternity, you can only choose Maternity leave or this allowance. Or if you become seriously ill and have to quit your job, you will no longer receive Sickness and Injury Allowance but must apply for Unemployment Insurance.
Been paying Social insurance for more than 1 year.
Up to a maximum period of 1 year and 6 months you can receive Sickness and Injury Allowance for hospitalization and treatment for the same illness.

Procedure to apply for the allowance:

Step 1: Contact the Human Resources Department of your company for assistance in completing the procedure to apply for the allowance.

Step 2: Complete the Sickness and Injury Allowance Application Form (can be printed, handwritten or typed).

Step 3: After filling in all required information, bring your application to the hospital and get a certificate from the doctor.

Step 4: Submit your documents directly at the insurance company or through the Human Resources Department of your company.

Step 5: Wait for the insurance company to approve the application and transfer the subsidy to you. It will take about 1 month for the insurance company to complete the procedure.

Summary:

Receiving a subsidy from Social Insurance which you pay every month when you unfortunately get sick or injured is a great source of encouragement, isn’t it? Save this article on your phone so that when you need it, you don’t have to google anymore!