Isn’t it embarrassing for a company to appoint ignorant managers who don’t even know the laws they’re supposed to enforce?
Read the original article (in Japanese):
「生理は病気じゃない。甘えんな」こんな上司の発言は違法？ 生理休暇を拒否された女性たちの悩み - 弁護士ドットコム
Chapter 1: The Era Where "I Didn't Know" No Longer Works
In 2025, many labor-related workplace incidents stem from one common source: managerial ignorance. Take menstrual leave, for example—clearly defined in Japan’s Labor Standards Act. Yet it’s still not uncommon for managers to deny such requests with comments like “It’s not an illness” or “Everyone else toughs it out.”
The issue isn’t just individual misconduct. A manager’s words are interpreted as corporate action. “I didn’t know” doesn’t hold up anymore. Violating employee rights isn’t just a mistake—it exposes the company to legal, reputational, and compliance risks.
Chapter 2: The Manager’s Role is to Ensure Legal Compliance in Operations
A manager’s core responsibility isn’t just overseeing operations—it’s ensuring those operations are carried out lawfully.
For example:
Proper time tracking and overtime regulation
Handling paid leave requests legally
Preventing harassment and discrimination
Understanding and respecting rights like menstrual or parental leave
If a manager can’t enforce these protections, they are not managing—they are neglecting their duty.
Chapter 3: Real-World Trouble Triggered by Legal Ignorance
Real examples include:
Dismissing menstrual leave as “weakness” → violation of labor law
Denying paid leave arbitrarily → illegal misuse of scheduling authority
Skipping overtime pay with vague allowance excuses → unpaid wages
Penalizing requests for shortened hours → potential discrimination
Behind these examples is a common thread: a lack of legal training for managers. This problem is especially evident in workplaces dominated by older male managers, where gender-specific health issues are often poorly understood or even ignored.
Chapter 4: When It Backfires, the Company Pays the Price
A company cannot deflect responsibility by blaming “one manager.” Under Japanese labor law, a manager’s actions are the company’s actions.
Examples of Company Liability:
| Violation | Corporate Consequences |
|---|---|
| Denying menstrual leave | Labor law breach, penalties, official warnings |
| Ignoring harassment | Employer liability, damages, potential lawsuits |
| Mishandling paid leave | Litigation risks, labor bureau intervention |
| Tolerating excessive overtime | Regulatory penalties, public name disclosure |
All of these are forms of operational risk that directly affect the company’s integrity and reputation.
Chapter 5: Failing to Train Managers is a Management Failure
So why do legally unqualified managers end up in charge? The biggest reason: companies often fail to verify legal competency when promoting them.
What Training Should Look Like:
Pre-promotion training in labor law basics
Regular updates via e-learning
Case-based training drawn from real workplace scenarios
Without this, promoting someone is essentially assigning responsibility without preparation, exposing the company to preventable risks.
Chapter 6: Conclusion — Legally Ignorant Managers Are a Liability
A manager’s true responsibility is to achieve results within legal boundaries. Making decisions without understanding the law is not management—it is irresponsibility.
A company that tolerates this ignorance is equally at fault. Not only does this reflect poorly internally, but it signals to the outside world that the company lacks qualified leadership.
"I didn’t know" is no longer acceptable.
This is not merely an individual failing—it is a question of corporate governance.
Read in Japanese↓
管理職の法律知識不足は、会社の人材不足を社外に晒す（2025.10.1）
Read more articles (in Japanese)↓
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