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Labor and HRFrom putting work rules in order to dealing with problem employees, separation negotiations and labor tribunal proceedings, our attorneys support you on the employer's side.

Free consultation Why LegalAgent
Response time
1 business day*
First consultation
30 min free
Scope
Work rules · Problem employees · Separation · Labor tribunals

* As a rule, for contract reviews and routine legal questions. For complex or urgent matters we propose a schedule that fits the matter.

Client companies served*

150+

Selected clients shown, in no particular order. * Clients and partners. Not limited to Labor and HR matters.

KADOKAWA FRONTEO YAMAP ACROVE LAPRAS AVA Intelligence OPTIEUM Biotechnologies ReDelta Concrew LINEA Innovations TECHSUITE YStory

Putting work rules and employee matters in order, starting with how records are kept

On the employer's side, we support both prevention, by putting work rules and employment contracts in order, and individual matters such as problem employees, separation negotiations, harassment investigations and rebutting unpaid wage claims. We first check records of warnings and guidance, interview records and attendance records, and decide early whether to proceed by negotiation, labor tribunal proceedings or litigation. Gaps in the rules found along the way are reflected in revisions to the work rules and employment contracts.

  • You want an employee to leave but do not know how to proceed
  • A demand for unpaid overtime has arrived, and the response deadline is near
  • A harassment complaint has been made, and you need to decide how to investigate
  • Your work rules do not match how side jobs and remote work actually operate

Why LegalAgent

With LegalAgent, you can work through labor matters from the first response to the choice of procedure

We support your HR team's decisions in three ways: fast answers, upfront fee estimates and documents you can use as they are in interviews and negotiations.

  1. 01Speed

    Typical law firms3–5 business days

    LegalAgent1 business day, as a rule

    Preparation worked back from the response deadline

    For contract reviews and routine legal questions, we respond within one business day as a rule. If you receive content-certified mail or a labor tribunal petition, we propose an order of preparation worked back from the deadline for your response or answer.

  2. 02Fees

    Hourly billingTotal unknown at the start

    LegalAgentScope and fee set before we start

    The situation and scope agreed before we start

    We ask about the situation, such as putting rules in order, a problem employee or labor tribunal proceedings, and the number of employees involved, and give you an estimate before we start. If the matter moves on to a procedure such as labor tribunal proceedings, we update the estimate and explain it to you.

  3. 03Deliverables

    • Interview record template
    • Draft separation agreement
    • Draft rebuttal
    • Draft revised work rules

    Documents ready to use in interviews and negotiations

    We deliver everything from explanatory materials for retirement recommendation interviews to response policy memos for management, in a form you can use for internal decisions.

* Response times are for contract reviews and routine legal questions; they vary by matter.

How it works

The AI Agent organizes the history and records; attorneys decide how to proceed

The AI Agent puts the work rules, interview records and attendance records you provide into a timeline and prepares drafts; attorneys decide which procedure to use, from warnings and guidance to labor tribunal proceedings.

AI Agentdoes the work

  • Builds a timeline of events from work rules, interview records and attendance records
  • Draws on past responses and document templates
  • Drafts written warnings and rebuttals

Attorneysmake the judgment

  • Decide the order of warnings and guidance, discipline and retirement recommendations
  • Decide whether to proceed by negotiation, labor tribunal proceedings or litigation
  • Take responsibility for the final documents and response policy
ConsultationNegotiations and hearings
  1. STEP 01Confirming the facts and evidence

    Review the people involved, the timeline, existing records and regulations, and set out the overall picture of the facts and where the risks lie

    A memo on the facts and where the risks lie

  2. STEP 02Considering the response policy and procedure

    Considering the legal risks and internal impact, consider which procedure to proceed with: warnings and guidance, discipline, retirement recommendation, negotiation, labor tribunal proceedings or litigation

    A response policy memo and an expected schedule

  3. STEP 03Support for documents, investigations and negotiations

    Prepare written warnings, an investigation plan, a draft separation agreement or a rebuttal, and support preparations for interviews and negotiations

    A full set of documents needed for the response and how to conduct interviews and negotiations

  4. STEP 04Responding when the matter moves to labor tribunal proceedings or litigation

    Based on the other side's assertions and the company's evidence, prepare answers and briefs and attend hearings

    Draft answer and briefs and a strategy for hearings

  • Attorneys make the final callAn attorney checks every deliverable and takes responsibility for it.
  • Your inputs are not used to train AIOn top of attorneys' statutory duty of confidentiality, we work in an environment where your inputs are not used to train AI.
  • An AI Agent built in-houseOur own engineers develop it. Information Security Policy

Use cases

Common requests and what you receive

For each situation in which a labor consultation begins, such as receiving a demand letter, dealing with a problem employee or receiving a harassment complaint, we match the impact of a misstep with our support and deliverables, from organizing evidence to choosing the procedure.

  1. 01

    An employee has sent a demand for unpaid overtime (by content-certified mail)

    If left aloneResponse and negotiation deadlines approach before the company can check the basis of the claimed amount and whether it can be rebutted

    What we doCheck how fixed overtime pay actually operates, whether the employee qualifies as a manager or supervisor, and the state of working hours records, and set out whether a rebuttal is possible and which procedure to use (negotiation / labor tribunal / litigation)

    What you receive
    • Response policy memo
    • Draft rebuttal
    • Recalculation of working hours and wages

  2. 02

    You want to deal with an employee's problem behavior step by step

    If left aloneThe company moves to discipline or a retirement recommendation with insufficient records of warnings and guidance, and the appropriateness of the procedure is later challenged

    What we doOrganize the facts and evidence of the problem behavior, and consider which of warnings and guidance, reassignment, discipline or a retirement recommendation to pursue and in what order

    What you receive
    • Templates for written warnings and interview records
    • Response scenario
    • Explanatory materials for the retirement recommendation

  3. 03

    A harassment complaint has been made and an investigation is needed

    If left aloneInterviews with the people involved proceed before the investigation structure and procedure are settled, leading to secondary harm and doubts about the fairness of the investigation

    What we doConfirm the investigation structure, interview order, preservation of evidence and approach to the accused employee, and judge whether disciplinary action is warranted

    What you receive
    • Investigation plan
    • Interview record template
    • Disciplinary policy memo

  4. 04

    There is an employee you want to leave, but you feel dismissal is too risky

    If left aloneA misstep in the retirement recommendation creates a risk that it will be viewed as an unlawful forced resignation or as worsening the workplace environment

    What we doSet out the risks of proceeding with dismissal and what is permissible in a retirement recommendation, and consider the terms and explanations for an agreed resignation

    What you receive
    • Retirement recommendation scenario
    • Draft separation agreement
    • Explanatory materials for interviews

  5. 05

    Work rules have not kept up with more diverse forms of work (side jobs, remote work, a mix of employees and contractors)

    If left alonePractice and the rules diverge, and operations continue with errors in aggregating working hours or determining worker status

    What we doConfirm the current forms of employment and work, and bring the rules on side jobs, remote work and the mix with contractors into line with reality

    What you receive
    • Draft revised work rules
    • Side job and remote work rules
    • Draft operating workflow

Scope of our labor and HR support

For both prevention through putting regulations and contracts in order and individual responses to claims and complaints, we show the documents we review, the judgments we make and the deliverables.

Putting work rules and employment contracts in order
We confirm current forms of employment and actual practice, and put the work rules, employment contracts and related regulations in order.
  • Reviewing work rules and employment contracts
  • Addressing a mix of side jobs, remote work and contractors
Problem employees, harassment investigations and separation negotiations
We handle employees with problem behavior, investigations of harassment complaints and separation negotiations, including how to keep evidence and records.
  • Organizing the initial response to problem employees
  • Supporting the conduct of harassment investigations
  • Designing terms for retirement recommendations and agreed resignations
Negotiations with employees, labor tribunal proceedings and litigation
When unpaid wage claims are made or the validity of a dismissal or disciplinary action is challenged, we decide whether to respond by negotiation, labor tribunal proceedings or litigation, and carry it out.
  • Organizing rebuttals to unpaid overtime claims
  • Labor tribunal proceedings and litigation

Our approach

What we focus on in Labor and HR

In labor and HR matters, we focus on the following points.

  1. 01

    Starting from how evidence and records are kept

    In problem employee matters and harassment investigations, we first check whether records such as records of warnings and interviews, working hours data and the history of work instructions exist in a form that can be used as proof in a later dispute. Where records are insufficient, we work with you on the format and method of the records you should keep from now on.

  2. 02

    Deciding early on the procedure (negotiation / labor tribunal / litigation)

    Where unpaid wage claims or the validity of a dismissal are in dispute, we decide early whether to proceed by negotiation, labor tribunal proceedings or litigation, based on the strength of the other side's position, the state of the evidence and the expected time to resolution, and prepare accordingly.

  3. 03

    Not separating prevention (regulations and contracts) from individual responses

    Defects in the regulations revealed in handling an individual problem are not left as a one-off; we reflect them in revisions to the work rules and employment contracts. Conversely, from the stage of putting the regulations in order, we build in ways of keeping records that can be used in future individual matters.

  4. 04

    Organizing matters so internal decision-makers can judge easily

    So that not only HR staff but also management and line managers can decide on the response, we set out the legal risks, response steps and points to watch in internal communication together.

Pricing

Labor and HR fees

In labor consultations, the work required varies greatly with the situation and the stage of the procedure, so we provide an estimate after hearing the circumstances. The main items we confirm when estimating are as follows.

How fees are set

Scope and fee agreed before we start

Matter-based work is generally on a fixed fee. For complex or urgent matters, we propose a schedule and an estimate that fit the matter.

First consultation

A free 30-minute online meeting.

You can come to us before your documents are in order. Tell us what you know so far.

Free consultation

What we check before quoting

  • The situation to be handled (putting regulations in order, an individual problem employee, a harassment investigation, labor tribunal proceedings or litigation, etc.)
  • The number of employees involved and the number of sites concerned
  • The state of existing evidence and records
  • Whether the matter is likely to move to negotiation, labor tribunal proceedings or litigation
  • Whether an ongoing advisory arrangement is needed

The fee structure may change with the stage of the procedure, for example when a matter moves from negotiation to labor tribunal proceedings or litigation. We will advise you of the formal amount after confirming the circumstances.

Team & Record

Attorneys who know business practice handle your matters

Contract reviews and drafts
2,000+
Client companies
150+
Startup legal matters
200+
Legal and investment DD
20+

* Approximate figures based on matters handled by our firm; actual figures vary by matter.

Engineers

Shinya Makita and Sota Miya build our product on the same team as the attorneys.

Practical guides to labor and HR

Work rulesStartup Work Rules and Fixed Overtime Pay: The Duty to Prepare Work Rules and Case Law Principles

The duty to prepare work rules is determined by the number of people at each workplace. For fixed overtime pay, confirm the distinction from ordinary wages and that it is in substance consideration for overtime, settle any shortfall, and manage working hours. This column explains how to review everything from the job posting to the pay slip.

Related practice areas

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can we also consult you on this page about collective bargaining with a labor union or a Labor Standards Inspection Office investigation?

Collective bargaining with labor unions and responding to investigations and corrective recommendations from the Labor Standards Inspection Office are covered on the Labor Union and Labor Standards Office Matters page. This page focuses on putting work rules and employment contracts in order and relationships with individual employees (problem employees, separation negotiations, harassment investigations, individual unpaid wage claims, etc.). We also accept consultations that involve both, so please contact us first.

At what stage can we consult you about an employee with problem behavior?

You can consult us at an early stage, even before any warnings or guidance have been given. We consider everything from organizing the facts and evidence to which of warnings and guidance, reassignment, discipline or a retirement recommendation to pursue and in what order.

Can we consult you even if our work rules and employment contracts are not in order?

You can consult us even if your current work rules and employment contracts do not match reality. After confirming your current practice, we set out the scope of the revisions needed.

What is the difference between one-off and ongoing consultation?

One-off consultation means engaging us matter by matter, such as for an individual problem employee or a harassment investigation. With ongoing consultation, our support also includes periodic reviews of the work rules and handling the labor and HR questions that arise day to day.

If we receive a demand for unpaid overtime, can you respond right away?

We also handle cases where the response deadline is close. We check how fixed overtime pay actually operates and the working hours records, and promptly set out whether a rebuttal is possible and which procedure to use (negotiation, labor tribunal proceedings or litigation).

Are labor tribunal proceedings and litigation within the scope of this page?

Yes. We handle labor tribunal proceedings and litigation over dismissals, discipline, unpaid wages and similar issues arising with individual employees, based on the facts and evidence. Where complex litigation strategy or disputes in other areas are involved, please also see the Litigation and Dispute Resolution page.

If it is difficult to handle a harassment investigation internally, can you conduct it for us?

After confirming the investigation structure, interview order and method of preserving evidence, we support the conduct of the investigation, for example by attending interviews and preparing investigation documents. Where the scale requires a company-wide misconduct investigation or crisis management, please also see the Crisis Management and Internal Investigations page.

Contact

Talk to us about labor and HR issues

Please tell us the facts you know at this point, whether it concerns a problem employee, separation negotiations, a harassment complaint or an unpaid overtime claim. You can consult us even if your documents and evidence are not yet well organized.

  • A free 30-minute online first meeting
  • You can consult us before you start giving warnings or guidance
  • You can also consult us on a demand whose response deadline is close