Chapter I General Provisions
第一章 総則
第一条（目的）
The purpose of this Act is to enable part-time/fixed term workers to effectively exercise their abilities in ways such as ensuring that their treatment is equalized with the treatment of workers with standard employment statuses, by taking measures and other actions such as ensuring proper working conditions for part-time/fixed term workers, improving personnel management for these workers, furthering their conversion into workers with standard employment statuses, and helping them develop and improve their vocational abilities; and thereby increasing their welfare as well as contributing to social and economic development; in view of the fact that changes in Japan's social and economic circumstances, including the advancing low birthrate and aging population and changes in employment structures, are increasing the importance of the role that part-time/fixed term workers play.
この法律は、我が国における少子高齢化の進展、就業構造の変化等の社会経済情勢の変化に伴い、短時間・有期雇用労働者の果たす役割の重要性が増大していることに鑑み、短時間・有期雇用労働者について、その適正な労働条件の確保、雇用管理の改善、通常の労働者への転換の推進、職業能力の開発及び向上等に関する措置等を講ずることにより、通常の労働者との均衡のとれた待遇の確保等を図ることを通じて短時間・有期雇用労働者がその有する能力を有効に発揮することができるようにし、もってその福祉の増進を図り、あわせて経済及び社会の発展に寄与することを目的とする。
第二条（定義）
The term "part-time worker" as used in this Act means a worker whose prescribed weekly working hours are shorter than those of a worker with a standard employment status who is employed by the same employer (or are shorter than those of a worker with a standard employment status who is engaged in the same kind of work as the worker in question, if the worker employed by the relevant employer is engaged in the same kind of work as a worker with a standard employment status who is employed by that employer, except in a case specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).
この法律において「短時間労働者」とは、一週間の所定労働時間が同一の事業主に雇用される通常の労働者（当該事業主に雇用される通常の労働者と同種の業務に従事する当該事業主に雇用される労働者にあっては、厚生労働省令で定める場合を除き、当該労働者と同種の業務に従事する当該通常の労働者）の一週間の所定労働時間に比し短い労働者をいう。
The term "fixed-term worker" as used in this Act means a worker who has entered into a fixed-term labor contract with an employer.
この法律において「有期雇用労働者」とは、事業主と期間の定めのある労働契約を締結している労働者をいう。
The term "part-time/fixed term worker" as used in this Act means (a) part-time worker or a fixed-term worker.
Article 2-2Fundamental Principles
第二条の二（基本的理念）
It is a fundamental principle to ensure that there are opportunities for part-time/fixed term workers and persons seeking to become part-time/fixed term workers to work according to their motivation and abilities while maintaining their work-life balance, and to make considerations to enrich their working lives.
短時間・有期雇用労働者及び短時間・有期雇用労働者になろうとする者は、生活との調和を保ちつつその意欲及び能力に応じて就業することができる機会が確保され、職業生活の充実が図られるように配慮されるものとする。
An employer is to endeavor to ensure that the treatment of the part-time/fixed term workers it employs is equalized with the treatment of workers with standard employment statuses and to thereby endeavor to enable its part-time/fixed term workers to effectively exercise their abilities, by taking measures and other actions relevant to ensuring proper working conditions, implementing educational training, providing full benefits packages, and improving other aspects of its personnel management and to furthering these workers' conversion into workers with standard employment statuses (meaning hiring part-time/fixed term workers as workers with standard employment statuses at the places of business where they are employed; the same applies hereinafter) (hereinafter referred to as "improvement of personnel management and conversion of employment status"), in consideration of things such as actual employment situations.
事業主は、その雇用する短時間・有期雇用労働者について、その就業の実態等を考慮して、適正な労働条件の確保、教育訓練の実施、福利厚生の充実その他の雇用管理の改善及び通常の労働者への転換（短時間・有期雇用労働者が雇用される事業所において通常の労働者として雇い入れられることをいう。以下同じ。）の推進（以下「雇用管理の改善等」という。）に関する措置等を講ずることにより、通常の労働者との均衡のとれた待遇の確保等を図り、当該短時間・有期雇用労働者がその有する能力を有効に発揮することができるように努めるものとする。
An employers' organization is to endeavor to provide the necessary advice, cooperation, and other assistance in connection with the improvement of personnel management and conversion of employment status for part-time/fixed term workers employed by member employers of the association.
事業主の団体は、その構成員である事業主の雇用する短時間・有期雇用労働者の雇用管理の改善等に関し、必要な助言、協力その他の援助を行うように努めるものとする。
Article 4Responsibilities of the National and Local Governments
第四条（国及び地方公共団体の責務）
In addition to giving employers and other relevant persons the necessary guidance, assistance, and the like regarding the improvement of personnel management and conversion of employment status for part-time/fixed term workers in keeping with their actual circumstances and while respecting their self-initiated efforts; and as well as undertaking the public relations and other educational activities needed to remove the various factors preventing part-time/fixed term workers from exercising their abilities effectively; the national government is to endeavor to comprehensively and effectively further the necessary initiatives to prompt the improvement of personnel management and conversion of employment status for part-time/fixed term workers and to otherwise increase their welfare, including helping these workers develop and improve their vocational abilities and achieve other such aims.
国は、短時間・有期雇用労働者の雇用管理の改善等について事業主その他の関係者の自主的な努力を尊重しつつその実情に応じてこれらの者に対し必要な指導、援助等を行うとともに、短時間・有期雇用労働者の能力の有効な発揮を妨げている諸要因の解消を図るために必要な広報その他の啓発活動を行うほか、その職業能力の開発及び向上等を図る等、短時間・有期雇用労働者の雇用管理の改善等の促進その他その福祉の増進を図るために必要な施策を総合的かつ効果的に推進するように努めるものとする。
In combination with the initiatives of the national government that are set forth in the preceding paragraph, a local government is to endeavor to further the necessary initiatives to enhance the welfare of part-time/fixed term workers.
地方公共団体は、前項の国の施策と相まって、短時間・有期雇用労働者の福祉の増進を図るために必要な施策を推進するように努めるものとする。