Fixed-term Recruitment from the Private Sector
National public employees in charge of public administration are basically recruited from among new graduates and developed internally. However, to respond to changes appropriately and perform administrative duties expected by the nation in the environment with increased sophistication, diversification and globalization of public administration, it is necessary to utilize competent external human resources unavailable among internally developed personnel.
From this perspective, the "Law concerning the Special Provision for the Recruitment and Remuneration of Fixed-term Employees in Regular Service" (Law concerning Fixed-term Employees) was established in November 2000. This law is designed to facilitate recruitment of human resources from the private sector, employ persons with expertise and experience useful for public services for a fixed term, and pay the amount suitable for advanced expertise.
Outline of the recruitment system and requirements of the Office and each Ministry are provided below for those who hope to work under the Law concerning Fixed-term Employees.
1. Purpose
This system establishes matters related to special cases of fixed-term employment and remuneration of regular employees having expertise or excellent insight, aimed to further facilitate recruitment of human resources from the private sector.
This system does not apply to fixed-term recruitments stipulated by other laws (university professors, researchers at laboratories and research institutes, etc.).
2. Fixed-term Employment
(1) Requirements
Eligible cases for the fixed-term employment are as follows:
- Assigning a person with a high level of professional expertise or great insight to duties which particularly require such advanced expertise, experience or insight
The "high level of professional expertise" refers, for example, to the advanced expertise and experience acquired by lawyers or certified public accountants through their practical business operations, or the advanced expertise and experience of university professors or researchers working at research institutes who have achieved highly-valued results in a certain field. The "great insight" refers, for example, to broad knowledge and experience owned by persons who play an important role in various fields in the private sector, who have achieved results that are valued highly and widely in society, and who are recognized for their creativity, foresight, etc.
- In addition to the above cases, either of the following cases in assigning a person with expertise and experience to duties which require such expertise and experience when it is necessary to assign such a person to the duties for a fixed period of time to ensure efficient operation of the public service
- When it is difficult for a certain period of time to internally secure personnel suitable for duties requiring expertise and experience because developing personnel with such expertise and experience requires considerable time
- When the assigned member of personnel can utilize his/her expertise and experience effectively only in a limited period of time because the expertise and experience are related to rapidly-developing technology or other reasons.
- When the case is equivalent to a. or b. above
The "expertise and experience" refers, for example, to expertise and experience on computer systems possessed by system engineers or expertise and experience on nuclear energy safety inspections gained by nuclear energy engineers.
(2) Recruitment procedures
The appointing officer (appointing authority) selects and recruits personnel with the approval of the NPA.
3. Period of employment
The period of employment is not longer than five years. The period may be extended up to five years from the date of employment when the original period is shorter than five years.
4. Special Cases concerning Remuneration
(1) Monthly Salary of Fixed-term Employees for Special Duties
The salary schedule shown below is applied to employees recruited based on the above 2 (1) A (fixed-term employees for special duties). The pay step is decided based on the degree of expertise and experience or insight and the difficulty and importance of the duties.
The monthly salary may be decided up to the ceiling of the maximum salary of employees covered by the NPA pay scheme (the Salary Schedule for Designated Service pay step 8) when the below salary schedule is inappropriate due to extremely advanced expertise or other special reasons.
| Pay step | Monthly salary (Yen) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 376,000 |
| 2 | 426,000 |
| 3 | 479,000 |
| 4 | 545,000 |
| 5 | 622,000 |
| 6 | 728,000 |
| 7 | 852,000 |
(2) Performance Allowance for Fixed-term Employees for Special Duties
An amount equivalent to the monthly salary may be paid as the performance allowance to fixed-term employees who have achieved particularly outstanding results.
(3) Exemption from the Remuneration Law
The Pay Step Increase System stipulated in the Remuneration Law is not applied to fixed-term employees. The family, housing, overtime, diligence, and other allowances are not paid to fixed-term employees.
The remuneration system for permanent employees is applied to employees recruited based on above 2 (1) 2.