Probably my first time posting on Reddit but I’m not sure where else to turn (besides labor bureau or other such things). I appreciate my information may seem scattered but this entire process has stressed me to no end.
I’ll give some information about the lead up to where I am now while trying to keep it brief, and I do have a pretty firm grasp on the laws and rights surrounding both types of leave and the benefits.
I work as an ALT for a dispatch company, so that’s probably enough said about what’s to follow.
I originally applied for 28 days of Paternity Leave (and 6 months of Childcare leave starting September) in mid-April (about 1.5 months before the estimated date of birth of my child) and after various unexplained delays and a severe lack of support my company finally approved my leave about a week before it was due to start. I had also requested for their support in filling out the applications for the benefits through HelloWork. They request various documents (including power of attorney to apply on my behalf) shortly after my leave started in June.
I never received any confirmation or information from my company or HelloWork as to whether my company did complete the application or not (my wife’s company/HelloWork informed her that her application was successful about a month after she applied for leave), so I waited until August to ask my company for some confirmation or if I should just apply myself instead. It took almost the entire month to get a response or any non-vague response to my questions.
During those conversations in August. I reminded them that my Childcare leave would be starting in September and asked if they would be assisting me in my application for the benefits again for this leave. Long story short, they told me I had to reapply for my childcare leave because I did not include the date of birth of my child (because my child was not born at the time of application) which was frustrating and made me pretty certain that they probably hadn’t even applied for the paternity leave benefits at all, never mind childcare leave benefits.
At this point I asked my Japanese wife to call the HelloWork office local to my company’s office to ask if they’d had any application of if there was anything being processed in regards to me. They basically said “we don’t know” or “we don’t record applications when they’re done a certain way”. My wife has offered to directly contact my company too but I’d rather she didn’t have to.
During this time I also contacted one of the labor unions but I have so much going on with our newborn I haven’t really put a lot of thought into what I discussed with them or whether to join.
So my question is, if my company is being vague and unhelpful and if HelloWork won’t/can’t provide information, what can I do next? Who do I go to for help? Should I just continue to wait and be patient? It’s a lot of money to just HOPE for.
I’ll try to answer any questions if I missed something but any help is appreciated.
TLDR – received no confirmation that my company has applied for the benefits on my behalf from either the company or HelloWork and don’t know what to do from here.
by SedulousOkami