Every month, I get ¥37,515 deducted out of my paycheck for welfare pension (厚生年金).
According to the [current 生年金保険料額 chart on www.nenkin.go.jp](https://www.nenkin.go.jp/service/kounen/hokenryo/ryogaku/ryogakuhyo/20200825.files/01.pdf), this is the “等級 24” bracket (標準報酬), which is supposed to apply to people earning between ¥395,000 and ¥425,000 a month.
But my salary is actually around ¥370,000/month before deductions (actually less, since I’ve had to take unpaid sick days and leave for medical appointments, etc. which reduces my hours). According to the PDF, from what I can tell, I should be in the “等級 22” bracket, and paying a lower amount every month than what is being deducted.
I asked my employer about this, and they say that their health insurance association “calculates it differently, including overtime”, i.e. as if I would be working (I assume) some maximum allowable amount of overtime. Apparently it will be “recalculated in July” if I don’t work overtime (which I do not).
But shouldn’t this pension deduction be based on my actual earned or on-paper salary… not some higher theoretical salary that I could earn if I opt to work overtime?
In addition to this, I have two other coworkers with my exact same contract (same 基本給 base salary and 職務手当 supplement, but quite significantly lower transportation expenses) and they are both paying less than me – they’re in the the “等級 23” bracket, one below me. I’m not sure why this would be the case, unless I am having to pay even more than them because of being reimbursed for transportation which is then counted as my salary/income? I haven’t brought this part up to my employer yet, but all of us are curious as to why we’re not in the expected 等級 22 bracket.
Is this normal? Is my company doing anything weird or concerning here? Thanks.
by throwra8138