PRC: National Labour Authority proposes labour law reforms in new article / 中国：人社部发文提议改革劳动法

On 30 October 2024, China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) released an article titled "Promoting High-Quality and Sufficient Employment through the Establishment of Harmonious Labour Relations." This piece resonates with the recent call to action by the  President of China to "promote high-quality and sufficient employment." While the article does not carry the weight of legal regulation or official policy, it potentially signals the direction of future reforms within China's labour law framework by suggesting a series of transformative measures.

人力资源社会保障部（“人社部”）于2024年10月30日发布了一篇题为《以构建和谐劳动关系促进高质量充分就业》的文章（“人社部文章”），呼应了中国国家主席不久前所提出的“促进高质量充分就业”的主题。虽然不具有法律法规或者官方政策的效力，但这篇文章开创性地提出了一系列变革措施，可能暗示了未来中国劳动法律体系改革的方向。

Promoting high-quality and sufficient employment
促进高质量充分就业

It's clear that "promoting high-quality and sufficient employment" will be a major driving force behind China's labour market evolution in the coming period.

不难看出，“促进高质量充分就业”将是未来一段时间内中国劳动市场发展的首要目标。

Improving the sufficiency of employment means increasing the volume and stability of job opportunities. On the other hand, enhancing the quality of employment implies strengthening the protection of employees' rights, which will be reflected in the expansion of the protection scope, the elevation of protection for those engaged in flexible employment, and the refinement of the labour relations governance system.

提高就业充分度，意味着提高就业的数量和稳定度。提高就业质量，则意味着提高对劳动者权益的保护水平，这又具体表现在扩大劳动权益的保护范围、提供灵活就业劳动者权益的保护水平和完善劳动关系治理体系。

Proposed Measures
建议措施

In pursuit of the goal of promoting high-quality and sufficient employment, the MOHRSS article proposes the following measures:

基于促进高质量充分就业的目标，人社部文章提出了下列措施：

Refining the Labour Law Framework. In order to strengthen the labour law framework in China, the article by MOHRSS suggests the formulation of a Basic Labour Standards Law, revising the existing Labour Law and Employment Contract Law, and compilation of a Labour Code, when circumstances permit. Additionally, it calls for the expansion of the applicable scope of labour law protections, gradually incorporating aspects such as equal employment, remuneration, rest and holiday, safety and health, personal dignity, career development, skills training, social insurance and welfare, collective consultation, democratic management, and rights protection.

健全劳动法体系。为加强中国的劳动法律体系建设，人社部文章提议应当制定《基本劳动标准法》，修订现行的《劳动合同法》和《劳动法》，并在条件成熟时编纂《劳动法典》。此外，还应当扩大劳动法保护范围，将劳动者平等就业、劳动报酬、休息休假、安全健康、人格尊严、职业发展、技能培训、社会保险和福利、集体协商、民主管理、权益维护等逐步纳入保护范围。

Enhancing the Labour Relations Consultation and Coordination Mechanism. This involves broadening the range and reach of collective consultation and employee democratic management (for example, extending from remuneration to various employment conditions), refining the tripartite coordination mechanism, and strengthening the establishment of grassroots public service systems (typically consisting of public service platforms and grassroots coordinators).

完善劳动关系协商协调机制。这包括扩大集体协商和职工民主管理的事项范围和覆盖范围（例如，从劳动报酬扩展到各种劳动条件），健全劳动关系三方协调机制，以及加强基层劳动关系公共服务体系（通常由劳动关系公共服务平台和基层协调员组成）的建设。

Optimizing the Labour Relations Governance Mechanism. This is a requirement proposed for labour law enforcement. The article by MOHRSS believes that labour authorities should oversee both labour relations (between employers and employees) and the general functioning of the human resources market, with a particular focus on issues such as arrears of wages and social security, unlawful terminations, and employment discrimination.

完善劳动关系治理机制。这是对劳动执法方面提出的要求。人社部文章认为劳动主管部门应同时监察劳动关系和人力资源市场运行的情况，并且特别着眼于治理拖欠工资社保、违法解除、就业歧视等行为。

Enhancing the Protection Mechanism for Flexible and New Forms of Employment. In response to the growing number of individuals engaged in flexible employment and new forms of employment, characterized by their typical de-employment relationship traits, the article by MOHRSS suggests rethinking the overly stringent definition for "employment relationship" and diversifying protection methods. This would include bringing flexible and new forms of employment under the coverage of labour law protections. Additionally, the MOHRSS recommends special legislation for these unique forms of employment and incorporating these special workers into labour unions to explore new mechanisms for collective consultation and democratic employment management.

完善灵活就业和新就业形态劳动者权益保障机制。面对当前规模日益庞大的灵活就业和新就业形态劳动者群体以及他们典型的去劳动关系化特征。人社部文章提议应当重新反思劳动关系过于严格的认定标准，多样化地配置保护手段，从而将非典型劳动关系的灵活就业和新就业形态劳动者纳入劳动法保护的覆盖范围。人社部文章还建议应当针对这些特殊就业形态进行特别立法，并吸收这些特殊劳动者加入工会，以探索集体协商和劳动者民主管理的新机制。

Key Takeaways

要点总结

While the path to some of the reforms suggested in the article by MOHRSS may seem distant, the wheels are already in motion. Presently, there are signs that the formulation of the "Basic Labour Standards Law" is already on the agenda. The rise of new employment forms has also made it clear that the expansion of labour law protections is not just necessary, but inevitable. As we look to the future, these proposed measures by the MOHRSS may serve as a roadmap for the evolution of China's labour market.

人社部文章提出的建议措施有些看似遥远，但并不是空穴来风。当前，很多迹象表明《基本劳动标准法》的立法已经提上日程，而近几年实践中各类新就业形态的扩张也表明了扩大劳动法保护的覆盖范围不仅是必要的，也是不可避免的。展望未来，人社部提出的这些措施可能会成为中国劳动改革的路线图。