Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1 This Law is formulated in accordance with the Constitution in order to protect the legitimate rights and interests of labourers, regulate labour relationship, establish and safeguard a labour system suited to the socialist market economy, and promote economic development and social progress.

Article 2 This Law shall apply to enterprises, individual economic organizations (hereinafter referred to as employing units) and labourers who form a labour relationship therewith within the territory of the People's Republic of China.

State organs, institutions and public organizations as well as labourers who form a labour contract relationship therewith shall be bound by this Law.

Article 3 Labourers shall have equal right to employment and choice of occupation, the right to remuneration for labour, to rest and vacations, to protection of occupational safety and health, to training in vocational skills, to social insurance and welfare, to submission of labour disputes for settlement and other rights relating to labour stipulated by law.

Labourers shall fulfill their labour tasks, improve their vocational skills, follow rules on occupational safety and health, and observe labour discipline and professional ethics.

Article 4 The employing units shall establish and perfect rules and regulations in accordance with the law so as to ensure that labourers enjoy the right to work and fulfill labour obligations.

Article 5 The State shall take various measures to promote employment, develop vocational education, lay down labour standards, regulate social incomes, perfect social insurance system, coordinate labour relationship, and gradually raise the living standard of labourers.

Article 6 The State shall advocate the participation of labourers in social voluntary labour and the unfolding of labour emulation and rational proposals campaign, encourage and protect labourers in conducting scientific research, technical renovation, inventions and creations, and commend and reward model and advanced workers.

Article 7 Labourers shall have the right to participate in, and organize, trade unions in accordance with the law.

Trade unions shall represent and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of labourers, and independently carry out their activities in accordance with the law.

Article 8 Labourers shall take part in democratic management or negotiate with the employing units on an equal footing about protection of the legitimate rights and interests of labourers through the assembly of staff and workers or their congress or other forms as provided by law.

Article 9 The administrative department of labour under the State Council shall be in charge of the management of labour in the whole country.

The administrative departments of labour under the local people's governments at or above the county level shall be in charge of the management of labour in their respective administrative areas.

Chapter II Promotion of Employment

Article 10 The State shall create conditions for employment and increase opportunities therefore by means of promotion of economic and social development.

The State shall encourage enterprises, institutions and public organizations to initiate industries or expand businesses for the increase of employment, within the scope provided by laws, and administrative rules and regulations.

The State shall support labourers to achieve employment by organizing themselves on a voluntary basis or by engaging in individual businesses.

Article 11 Local people's governments at various levels shall take measures, by developing employment agencies of various forms, to provide employment services.

Article 12 Labourers, regardless of their ethnic group, race, sex, or religious belief, shall not be discriminated against in employment.

Article 13 Women shall enjoy the equal right, with men, to employment. With exception of the special types of work or post unsuitable to women as prescribed by the State, no unit may, in employing staff and workers, refuse to employ women by reason of sex or raise the employment standards for women.

Article 14 In respect of the employment of the disabled, people of minority ethnic groups, and demobilized armymen, where there are special stipulations in laws, rules and regulations, such stipulations shall apply.

Article 15 No employing units are allowed to recruit minors under the age of 16.

Institutions of literature and art, physical culture, and special arts and crafts that recruit minors under the age of 16 must go through the formalities of examination and approval in accordance with the relevant provisions of the State and guarantee their right to compulsory education.