①If an employer seeks to carry out the downscaling of its operations, prescribed by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare that is expected to compel a considerable number of its workers at any of its places of business to separate from employment, the employer must formulate a plan for measures to assist the reemployment of those workers (hereinafter referred to as a "reemployment assistance plan") pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

②In formulating a reemployment assistance plan pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, an employer must hear the opinion of the labor union if the place of business associated with the reemployment assistance plan has a labor union composed of a majority of workers, or must hear the opinion of a representative of a majority of workers if the place of business does not have such a labor union. The same applies if the employer seeks to modify the reemployment assistance plan.

③Upon formulating a reemployment assistance plan pursuant to the provisions of the preceding two paragraphs, an employer must submit the plan to the head of the relevant public employment security office for approval pursuant to the provisions of Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The same applies if the employer modifies the reemployment assistance plan.

④Upon receipt of an application for approval as referred to in the preceding paragraph, if the head of the relevant public employment security office finds the measures stated in the reemployment assistance plan to be inappropriate for facilitating workers in finding new employment, the head of the public employment security office may request the employer to modify the reemployment assistance plan. If the employer fails to meet such a request, the head of the public employment security office may refuse to grant the approval referred to in the same paragraph.

⑤An employer that has applied for approval under paragraph (3) is deemed to have filed a notification pursuant to the provisions of Article 27, paragraph (1) on the date of application.