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。