China: Three Departments: Issued the Opinions on Coordinating the Urban-Rural Employment Policy System
On April 15, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs jointly issued the Opinions on Coordinating the Urban-Rural Employment Policy System (the “Opinions”), proposing the removal of unreasonable employment restrictions or discrimination based on household registration, status, age, and similar factors, and strengthening protection of the basic labor rights of workers beyond statutory retirement age, including remuneration, rest and leave, occupational safety and health, and work injury protection.
Key Action Points
The Opinions set out systematic arrangements covering development of urban-rural employment opportunities, public employment services, vocational training, labor rights protection, and employment assistance for vulnerable groups. These include linking grassroots employment services more closely to the resident population, supporting cross-regional labor cooperation and the cultivation of distinctive labor brands, improving mechanisms for the transfer and continuation of social insurance between urban and rural areas, and encouraging flexible workers, workers in new forms of employment, and return-to-hometown talent to participate more fully in employment and entrepreneurship support systems. For employers, the policy direction signals that clearer compliance expectations are likely to emerge with respect to recruitment criteria, management of over-age workers, and protection of mobile workers moving between urban and rural areas.
