“Limited Regular Employees” and Boundary of Employment: An Analysis by the Three-Layered Labor Market Model

Abstract

This chapter insists that it is possible to set up new classifications of “utilized non-regular employee” and “limited regular employee” as intermediate labor markets aside from the “regular employee” in the internal labor markets, which is historically recognized in Japanese companies; non-regular employees are recognized in the external labor market. Here, the “limited regular employee” refers to an employee whose employment period is indefinite (with limitations on the working place, type of job, and working hours). The “regular employees” supported Japanese management, but “non-regular employees” are playing a very important role in the management activities of today’s Japanese companies. This chapter indicates the possibility of further classification of “regular employees” instead of generalizing them in one segment.