On May 10, China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and four other agencies published a regulation on safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of over-age workers, defining the obligations of both employers and employees. The first regulation of its kind, it fills a long-standing institutional gap in China's labor protection system.
The regulation, which will take effect as of July 1, clearly defines the rights and obligations of employers and employees who exceed China's statutory retirement age - currently 55 for women and 60 for men. It covers core labor entitlements including labor remuneration, rest and vacation arrangements, workplace safety guarantees and work injury protection.
According to official estimates, China has between 87 million to 120 million over-age workers, including re-employed senior technicians and experts as well as flexible workers engaged in the catering, sanitation, security and construction industries. Experts said this labor group will continue to expand as the population ages, and will play a vital role in fueling the silver economy and supplementing domestic labor supply.
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