Japanese woman's promotion to manager nets zero overtime pay despite 100+ hours monthly

A 32-year-old woman in Japan, identified as Misaki, experienced a starkly different reality after her promotion to project manager, anticipating career growth and increased income.

Misaki, working at an IT firm in Tokyo with a monthly salary of 340,000 yen (approximately $6,600 USD), was tasked with leading a crucial new e-commerce project. Her promotion to "project manager" came with high expectations from her superiors, who urged her to adopt a managerial perspective.

However, the project's tight deadlines and insufficient staffing meant Misaki frequently had to compensate for her team's delays, often working late into the night. She also handled last-minute client specification changes. Her days began at 8 a.m. and often ended near the last train's departure, with at least one weekend day required for tasks like reviewing documents and specifications.

This demanding schedule led to over 100 hours of overtime in a single month. Misaki reported feeling overwhelmed, experiencing constant headaches, and struggling to sleep due to persistent work-related thoughts. She motivated herself by focusing on the project's success, anticipating financial rewards on her next payday.

After the project's successful launch, Misaki was praised by the company president. However, her excitement turned to dismay upon reviewing her payslip. While her base salary was 340,000 yen and she received a 45,000 yen management allowance, her overtime pay and holiday allowances were listed as 0 yen. She learned that as a management-level employee under Japanese labor law, she was ineligible for overtime compensation. Misaki realized her promotion might have been a way for the company to avoid paying overtime, leaving her feeling exploited despite her immense efforts.

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Because she is a manager, she has no overtime pay.