[Shanghai] Political advisor proposes improving ‘996’ overtime work culture

A Shanghai political advisor has proposed making improvements to legislation on the "996" overtime work culture, establishing a scientific system and standard for the identification of "death from overwork" and insuring deliverymen and couriers against work-related injuries, Global Times reports.

"996" refers to a working schedule of 9 am to 9 pm six days a week; a prevalent work culture in China's tech sector. 

On January 23, Lu Jingbo put forward several proposals for improving legislation on overtime, identification of overwork death and definition of work-related injuries. 

Lu Jingbo is a lawyer from the River Delta Law Firm, he also serves as a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the city's top political advisory body.

The sudden death of a Pinduoduo employee after apparent excessive overtime on December 29, 2020, reportedly provoked heated discussions on the tech sector's "996" work schedule, which is in violation of China's labour law. 

Lu, however, pointed out that China's current labour law places limited restrictions on overtime. He proposed clearly defining working hours such as meetings, lunch breaks, and training hours, which are difficult to define under current labour law but could result in labour disputes. 

In addition, most "overwork deaths" are difficult to establish as work-related injuries, according to the regulation on work-related injury insurance which defines work-related injuries as being caused by accidents. In his proposal, Lu said this makes it difficult to determine the employers' responsibility. 

Lu instead proposed establishing scientific identification and standards of "overwork death" and confirming this liability through legislation. 

On January 11 an ele.me deliveryman set himself on fire over a payment dispute with a part-time job platform. The tragic incident drew attention to another challenge to new labour relations in the new economy. (Link via original reporting)

Lu proposed that people in new forms of employment covered by work-related injury insurance in the form of local legislation or normative documents, a practice adopted in South China's Guangdong, East China's Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces in recent years, serve as a reference for Shanghai to follow.

Source: Global Times

A Shanghai political advisor has proposed making improvements to legislation on the "996" overtime work culture, establishing a scientific system and standard for the identification of "death from overwork" and insuring deliverymen and couriers against work-related injuries, Global Times reports.

"996" refers to a working schedule of 9 am to 9 pm six days a week; a prevalent work culture in China's tech sector. 

On January 23, Lu Jingbo put forward several proposals for improving legislation on overtime, identification of overwork death and definition of work-related injuries. 

Lu Jingbo is a lawyer from the River Delta Law Firm, he also serves as a member of the Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the city's top political advisory body.

The sudden death of a Pinduoduo employee after apparent excessive overtime on December 29, 2020, reportedly provoked heated discussions on the tech sector's "996" work schedule, which is in violation of China's labour law. 

Lu, however, pointed out that China's current labour law places limited restrictions on overtime. He proposed clearly defining working hours such as meetings, lunch breaks, and training hours, which are difficult to define under current labour law but could result in labour disputes. 

In addition, most "overwork deaths" are difficult to establish as work-related injuries, according to the regulation on work-related injury insurance which defines work-related injuries as being caused by accidents. In his proposal, Lu said this makes it difficult to determine the employers' responsibility. 

Lu instead proposed establishing scientific identification and standards of "overwork death" and confirming this liability through legislation. 

On January 11 an ele.me deliveryman set himself on fire over a payment dispute with a part-time job platform. The tragic incident drew attention to another challenge to new labour relations in the new economy. (Link via original reporting)

Lu proposed that people in new forms of employment covered by work-related injury insurance in the form of local legislation or normative documents, a practice adopted in South China's Guangdong, East China's Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces in recent years, serve as a reference for Shanghai to follow.

Source: Global Times