China publishes guidelines to better protect rights of workers in platform economy

BEIJING -- China on Friday published guidelines to improve protection of the rights of workers engaged in new employment forms, such as ride-hailing and food delivery.

The guidelines compiled by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security stipulate detailed and practical rules to guide platform businesses in improving labor management and addressing problems, including excessive working hours and platform rules lacking sufficient transparency.

According to the guidelines, workers involved in the platform economy, such as delivery, transport and home services, will start to enjoy minimum wage protection.

Platform businesses are required to prevent overwork, ensure higher labor payment for working during holidays, and solicit opinions before changing algorithms related to workers' rights and interests.

Together with new modes of business and evolving consumption patterns, new types of occupations have kept emerging in China in recent years and have become key sources of job creation.

China has 84 million workers engaged in new employment forms, and their working conditions have been gradually brought under the spotlight. The government previously released several documents to protect their rights and interests.