Japanese women struggle in recession
Local Japanese News In English
Women make up the highest number in the expanding market of part-time employees. Women made up 62% of 610,000 part-timers in 2009, according to the Health, Welfare and Labor Ministry. They are usually employed at call centers, office clerks, and work as health care workers or sales representatives.
Part-timers are hired on annual or six-month contracts by companies or are sent to work by agencies under the labor dispatch law. They are paid on an hourly basis, but women are sometimes paid up to 30% less than their male counterparts.
Usually, their employment contracts do not have paid vacation or allowances to support pensions. (Asia Times)
Source: cleanup