A new survey has added one more form of harassment to the long list Japanese workers suffer. According to a new survey released by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo), Japan's largest labor organization, more than one in every 10 working men have experienced "paternity harassment." Those men have either been barred from taking childcare leave or been harassed for even applying. Apparently many companies do not support a healthy work-life balance and remain unsympathetic to workers who use their legal rights to be with their families.
In the poll, 11.6 percent of respondents with children said they experienced paternity harassment. Another 10.8 percent of respondents reported seeing colleagues suffer paternity harassment. Half of those harassed had their requests for a paternity leave completely rejected. A smaller percentage was told that taking paternity leave would damage their career. Apparently, in some companies, ignoring a newborn child and forgoing family obligations is considered a positive step along the career track.
Of those who did suffer such harassment, two-thirds gave up taking paternity leave without consulting anyone about their legal options or workplace rights. Only 6.6 percent consulted their personnel or legal sections while another 6.6 percent consulted their labor union.