【速報】障害者作業所「年収1000万目指せます！きみも”福祉のプロ”にならないか？」→ 結果
A disability workshop sparked controversy with a surprising recruitment ad titled "Aim for 10 million yen annual income! Why not become a 'welfare professional'?"
However, the slogan drew intense criticism online for being vastly out of step with the typical wages at such facilities, with users calling it a "clickbait ad" and accusing them of "disrespecting the industry."
Ultimately, the exaggerated advertisement backfired, ironically highlighting the harsh realities and severe wage disparities prevalent in the welfare sector.
Related Keywords
Type B Employment Continuation Support
Type B Employment Continuation Support is a welfare service based on the Act on Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities, referring to facilities that provide opportunities for productive activities to people with disabilities who find it difficult to work in general companies, while supporting the improvement of their knowledge and abilities. As users work through service contracts rather than employment contracts, what they receive as remuneration for their labor is called "Kōchin" (payment for work), not "wages." This is a major difference from Type A facilities, which offer employment contracts and guarantee minimum wages. The purpose of Type B facilities is to improve daily living skills and promote social participation through employment, not necessarily to earn high incomes. Therefore, Kōchin levels are extremely low; according to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the national average Kōchin for fiscal year 2021 was 16,507 yen per month. The "10 million yen annual income" figure in the article's title is entirely incompatible with the Kōchin received by users of Type B facilities, and this discrepancy was a major reason for the significant criticism. Even if the facility was recruiting support staff or managers as "welfare professionals," using this phrase with "disability workshop" as the subject is easily confused with users' Kōchin and is considered highly inappropriate.
Average Kōchin (Payment for Work)
Average Kōchin refers to the average monthly amount of money received by disabled users working at Type B Employment Continuation Support facilities. As mentioned earlier, Type B facilities do not involve employment contracts, so they are exempt from the Labor Standards Act and Minimum Wage Act, and what is paid is "Kōchin." This Kōchin varies depending on the facility's sales, the content of productive activities, and the productivity of users, and its level is currently very low nationwide. According to the "Survey on the Current Status of Employment Support for Persons with Disabilities" published annually by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average Kōchin for Type B facilities in fiscal year 2021 was 16,507 yen per month, which translates to an annual income of only about 198,000 yen. This figure is approximately 50 times less than the "10 million yen annual income" advertised in the article's title, and this enormous disparity was the main reason the advertisement was perceived as an exaggeration and drew severe criticism. Improving users' Kōchin has been a long-standing issue, and the government is promoting improvements, such as setting targets, but fundamental solutions have not been achieved due to structural problems like facility management conditions and user support costs. For those aware of the reality of this average Kōchin, the phrase "10 million yen annual income" was seen as demonstrating a lack of understanding of the welfare sector, leading to strong backlash.
Securing Welfare Personnel
Securing welfare personnel is one of Japan's urgent social challenges, and the disability welfare sector is no exception. With the aging population and the diversification and complexity of support needs for people with disabilities, the demand for specialized support workers is steadily increasing. However, the welfare industry is plagued by a "triple burden" of "low wages," "heavy workload," and "labor shortages," leading to a serious chronic lack of personnel. Wages for care workers and disability welfare service providers tend to be lower compared to other industries, and there is a widespread perception that opportunities for career advancement and evaluation commensurate with expertise are difficult to obtain. Furthermore, the high-level skills required to respond to diverse user needs and the significant mental burden contribute to a high turnover rate. The phrase "Aim for 10 million yen annual income!" in the article's title can be seen as an attempt to attract attention with a bold appeal, against the backdrop of this personnel shortage in the welfare industry. However, due to the extreme discrepancy with reality and the potential for confusion with users' Kōchin, it ultimately damaged the industry's credibility. Ironically, this uproar served as an opportunity to once again highlight the deeply rooted problems of the welfare sector's severe wage structure and the difficulty of securing human resources.