China Strengthens Protections for Non-Standard Employment; Expert: Elevated to Social Governance Level
The Chinese government has issued its first central document dedicated to managing non-standard employment groups, emphasizing labor rights protection and algorithm regulation. Experts view this as elevating the issue to a social governance level, aiming to improve working conditions by 2027.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 14:19
- 🔍 Collected: April 28, 2026 at 14:31 (12 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 28, 2026 at 14:35 (3 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Li Ya-wen, Shanghai, April 28) The Chinese government has issued its first central document specifically for the service and management of new employment groups, emphasizing labor rights and urging algorithmic oversight. Experts believe that the management of new employment groups is no longer merely an industry issue but has been elevated to a social governance level, with policy goals dependent on cross-unit collaboration.
The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council recently issued "Opinions on Strengthening the Service and Management of New Employment Groups." This is the first central document specifically on the service and management of new employment groups, comprising six parts.
A survey report released by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions in July 2023 indicated that China's new employment groups comprise 84 million workers. New employment groups refer to workers who rely on online platforms to match supply and demand, such as food delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers, and live streamers, representing a typical group of non-standard employment.
The opinions state that the goal is to gradually standardize labor employment for new employment groups by 2027, significantly improve their working environment, and ensure their legitimate rights and interests are strongly protected. In another 3 to 5 years, the service and management system for new employment groups will be even more sound, labor relations more harmonious, working environment more friendly, and legitimate rights and interests more fully protected.
The opinions require internet platform operators, express delivery companies, and other employers to improve employment management systems, strengthen the protection of legitimate rights and interests, enhance algorithmic governance, improve the system for publishing employment information (e.g., reasonable income expectations), ensure the right to rest for new employment groups, and strengthen labor protection in special circumstances such as severe weather.
The opinions emphasize promoting labor contracts adapted to industry characteristics and the needs of new employment groups by internet platform operators and express delivery companies. They also state that unreasonable fees and commissions, unfair distribution of traffic, and abuse of market dominance will be investigated and punished according to law. The protection of legitimate rights and interests of new employment groups will be included in the enterprise social responsibility evaluation system.
Zhang Chenggang, director of the China New Employment Forms Research Center, stated in a First Financial Daily report that these opinions integrate scattered policies related to new employment groups in labor protection, platform governance, party building, and social governance into a unified policy system. This shows that the issue of new employment groups has risen from an industry problem to an overall social governance issue.
Zhang Chenggang believes that these opinions convey a message: new employment groups are beginning to be seen as a group of workers requiring long-term institutional support. Occupational disease prevention, direct settlement of cross-provincial medical expenses, and promotion of the housing provident fund system are all mentioned in these opinions, indicating that the mature systems traditionally applied to urban employment groups are extending to new employment groups.
He said that the achievement of these policy goals relies on cross-departmental coordination, local implementation, and cooperation from internet platform companies, and the effectiveness will gradually emerge over a long period of promotion.
A负责人 from the Central Social Work Department stated in an interview that new employment groups are important laborers in society, and these opinions are the first central document specifically on the service and management of new employment groups, which is of great significance for improving the well-being and sense of security of new employment groups and promoting their development.
(Central News Agency reporter Li Ya-wen, Shanghai, April 28) The Chinese government has issued its first central document specifically for the service and management of new employment groups, emphasizing labor rights and urging algorithmic oversight. Experts believe that the management of new employment groups is no longer merely an industry issue but has been elevated to a social governance level, with policy goals dependent on cross-unit collaboration.
The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council recently issued "Opinions on Strengthening the Service and Management of New Employment Groups." This is the first central document specifically on the service and management of new employment groups, comprising six parts.
A survey report released by the All-China Federation of Trade Unions in July 2023 indicated that China's new employment groups comprise 84 million workers. New employment groups refer to workers who rely on online platforms to match supply and demand, such as food delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers, and live streamers, representing a typical group of non-standard employment.
The opinions state that the goal is to gradually standardize labor employment for new employment groups by 2027, significantly improve their working environment, and ensure their legitimate rights and interests are strongly protected. In another 3 to 5 years, the service and management system for new employment groups will be even more sound, labor relations more harmonious, working environment more friendly, and legitimate rights and interests more fully protected.
The opinions require internet platform operators, express delivery companies, and other employers to improve employment management systems, strengthen the protection of legitimate rights and interests, enhance algorithmic governance, improve the system for publishing employment information (e.g., reasonable income expectations), ensure the right to rest for new employment groups, and strengthen labor protection in special circumstances such as severe weather.
The opinions emphasize promoting labor contracts adapted to industry characteristics and the needs of new employment groups by internet platform operators and express delivery companies. They also state that unreasonable fees and commissions, unfair distribution of traffic, and abuse of market dominance will be investigated and punished according to law. The protection of legitimate rights and interests of new employment groups will be included in the enterprise social responsibility evaluation system.
Zhang Chenggang, director of the China New Employment Forms Research Center, stated in a First Financial Daily report that these opinions integrate scattered policies related to new employment groups in labor protection, platform governance, party building, and social governance into a unified policy system. This shows that the issue of new employment groups has risen from an industry problem to an overall social governance issue.
Zhang Chenggang believes that these opinions convey a message: new employment groups are beginning to be seen as a group of workers requiring long-term institutional support. Occupational disease prevention, direct settlement of cross-provincial medical expenses, and promotion of the housing provident fund system are all mentioned in these opinions, indicating that the mature systems traditionally applied to urban employment groups are extending to new employment groups.
He said that the achievement of these policy goals relies on cross-departmental coordination, local implementation, and cooperation from internet platform companies, and the effectiveness will gradually emerge over a long period of promotion.
A负责人 from the Central Social Work Department stated in an interview that new employment groups are important laborers in society, and these opinions are the first central document specifically on the service and management of new employment groups, which is of great significance for improving the well-being and sense of security of new employment groups and promoting their development.