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Category: Overcoming Job-Change Anxiety
Authors: Shusaku Yosa
As your resignation approaches, your company may ask you, “Do you need an employment separation certificate (rishokuhyo)?” But many people are left puzzled, unsure of “what exactly a rishokuhyo is,” “when they will receive it,” and “how it differs from a certificate of resignation.” The rishokuhyo is an essential document for receiving unemployment benefits, and if it is delayed, your benefit application itself will be delayed. This article explains, in a way that is easy to understand even for first-timers, the meaning and role of the rishokuhyo, when it is issued and how it reaches you, how it differs from the easily confused certificate of resignation (taishoku shomeisho) and separation report (rishoku shomeisho), and how to have it reissued if you lose it.
The employment separation certificate (rishokuhyo; official name: Employment Insurance Insured Person Separation Certificate) is an official document proving that you have left your company and lost your status as an insured person under employment insurance. It is always required when a departing employee applies for unemployment benefits (basic allowance) at Hello Work (the public employment office). A distinctive feature is that it is issued not by the company but by Hello Work, and it reaches the former employee by way of the company.
In addition to the fact of your departure, the rishokuhyo states the “reason for separation” and “your wages for the six months prior to leaving,” and these are used to calculate when your unemployment benefits begin, how many days they are paid, and how much you receive. In other words, the rishokuhyo is a document that directly affects your post-departure livelihood by determining the amount of your unemployment benefits and when they begin.
The rishokuhyo is issued as a set of two sheets: “Rishokuhyo-1” and “Rishokuhyo-2.” Both are needed to apply for unemployment benefits, so be sure to check that you have both.
In particular, the reason for separation written on Rishokuhyo-2—whether it is “company-initiated” or “personal reasons”—greatly changes the timing of when benefits begin and the number of days they are paid. If the stated content differs from the facts, be sure to check it before signing and sealing, and raise an objection if you have one.
The rishokuhyo is not something you receive on the spot on your last day. Because it is issued after procedures involving both your company and Hello Work, it takes a certain number of days to reach you.
The rishokuhyo reaches the former employee through the following steps.
Because it goes through the process above, the rishokuhyo generally reaches the former employee roughly 10 days to 2 weeks after the last day of work. Depending on the company’s procedures and mailing timing, it can take around 2 to 3 weeks. If you want to apply for unemployment benefits quickly, it is reassuring to check with your HR representative before leaving about “when the rishokuhyo will arrive.”
If the rishokuhyo has not arrived even after more than three weeks since leaving, first check the issuance status with the company you left. If they still fail to respond, consult the Hello Work office that has jurisdiction over your area of residence, and Hello Work can prompt the company to submit it. Hello Work will also assist in special circumstances, such as when the company has gone bankrupt.
The main use of the rishokuhyo is to apply for unemployment benefits (basic allowance) at Hello Work. In addition, it may be required when applying for a reduction of National Health Insurance premiums or when going through the procedures to become a dependent on a family member’s insurance.
Whether you need it depends on your situation after leaving. Use the following as a guide.
However, even if you think “I’ll change jobs right away, so I don’t need it,” your start date may change and you may end up needing unemployment benefits. If you are unsure, it is safer to ask the company to issue the rishokuhyo just in case. In some cases the company will not prepare it unless you request it, so make your wishes known during the resignation procedures.
The document most easily confused with the rishokuhyo is the “certificate of resignation” (taishoku shomeisho). Both are documents related to leaving a job, but they differ completely in who issues them, their purpose, and their legal effect.
The certificate of resignation is a document that, under the Labor Standards Act, the company is obligated to issue without delay when a former employee requests it (listing only the items the person has requested). It cannot be used to apply for unemployment benefits, but it may be accepted as a substitute when you need to hurry with switching over your National Health Insurance or pension before the rishokuhyo arrives.
Even more confusing is the “separation report” (rishoku shomeisho). The separation report is a document the company submits to Hello Work, and it serves as the “source” from which the rishokuhyo is issued. Keep in mind that what the former employee receives is not the separation report but the rishokuhyo itself. To sort it out, the relationship is: separation report (company → Hello Work) → rishokuhyo (Hello Work → company → you).
Receiving the rishokuhyo is not the end of it. Check its contents to make sure nothing puts you at a disadvantage for unemployment benefits.
Even if you lose your rishokuhyo, it can be reissued. The former employee can obtain a reissue by submitting an “Application for Reissuance of Employment Insurance Insured Person Separation Certificate” at a Hello Work counter. You can also apply online through “e-Gov,” the comprehensive portal for e-Government.
When applying, bring identity verification documents (such as a driver’s license or My Number card). Applying directly to Hello Work yourself is faster than going through the company you left.
Because the rishokuhyo itself is issued after procedures involving the company and Hello Work, a former employee cannot create it on their own. However, if the company is neglecting to submit the separation report, you can consult Hello Work and have them prompt the company to submit it.
If you will not receive unemployment benefits, the rishokuhyo is generally not needed. What you need at your new job is the “Employment Insurance Insured Person Card,” which is a separate document from the rishokuhyo. That said, since your start date could change, it is reassuring to have it issued just in case.
They are different. The separation report is a document the company submits to Hello Work, and based on its content Hello Work issues the rishokuhyo. What the former employee receives is the rishokuhyo.
Once you have completely finished receiving your unemployment benefits, the rishokuhyo has served its purpose, but to guard against procedural trouble it is reassuring to keep it for several months even after your benefits are complete.
The rishokuhyo is an official document essential for receiving unemployment benefits; it is issued by Hello Work and reaches you by way of the company. Expect it to arrive roughly 10 days to 2 weeks after leaving, and you can only apply once you have both Rishokuhyo-1 and Rishokuhyo-2. Keep in mind that it differs in role from the “certificate of resignation,” a private document issued by the company, and the “separation report,” which the company submits to Hello Work.
To receive your unemployment benefits smoothly, it is important to request the rishokuhyo before leaving and, once it arrives, to always check the reason for separation and the wage entries. Prepare it thoroughly, along with the other documents you receive when you leave, so nothing is overlooked.
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