Depression Caused by SOGI Harassment Recognized as Work-Related

Tokyo, Nov. 10 (Jiji Press)--Japanese labor authorities have confirmed that a transgender employee developed depression due to a strong psychological burden caused by harassment related to sexual orientation or gender identity, or SOGI, and recognized it as a work-related disease eligible for workers' compensation insurance benefits, it was learned Thursday.

The recognition was given by a labor standards inspection office in Kanagawa Prefecture on June 30, the corporate worker, who is a male on the person's family register but have been living as a female since being diagnosed with a gender identity disorder, and others including her attorney told a press conference in Tokyo.

According to them, the employee of a major manufacturing firm in her 40s came out at work around November 2017. But her boss repeatedly referred to her as "he."

The boss also made insulting remarks such as "I can't see you as a woman" and "If you want to be treated as a woman you should just get surgery or something right away."

After developing depression, she took a leave of absence in December 2018 and filed a workers' compensation claim with the office in September 2021. She has returned to work already.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]