Strengthening Work-related Injury Prevention and Occupational
Rehabilitation
The Chinese Government actively promotes prevention of work- related injuries
and occupational diseases through improvement of engineering technology,
publicity and education, formulation of safety regulations, implementing safety
and hygiene standards, and encouraging employing units to improve production
safety by manipulating their injury insurance premium rates. Following the
principle of "Safety and prevention first," the government urges enterprises and
employees to abide by the rules and regulations concerning work safety and
hygiene, and to strictly enforce the state work safety and hygiene rules and
standards, so as to prevent accidents during work, and reduce occupational
hazards. The state actively explores methods of occupational rehabilitation,
providing injured workers with injury recovery, psychological recovery,
occupational training and employment guidance. Occupational rehabilitation
centers and hospitals have been set upin some areas to help injured workers to
overcome physical and mental problems, regain their health and ability to work,
and return to their jobs.
V. Maternity Insurance
In 1988, the state introduced a reform of the maternity insurance system in
some areas. At the end of 2003, there were 36.55 million employees covered by
maternity insurance. In the year of 2003, 360,000 employees received maternity
insurance benefits.
The maternity insurance system mainly covers urban enterprises and their
employees, and in some places women employees of government agencies, public
institutions, mass organizations and enterprises. The premiums are paid by the
employers participating in the maternity insurance scheme, and should not be
more than one percent of the total wage bill. Individual employees do not pay
the premiums. Employers not having participated in the scheme will still be
responsible for providing maternity insurance benefits. Employees giving birth
to babies may enjoy a childbirth allowance for 90 days according to law. Women
employees who have given birthto babies or had abortions shall maintain their
original wages and positions, and get reimbursements for their medical expenses
according to related regulations.
VI. Social Welfare
The Chinese Government actively promotes the development of social welfare,
raising funds through various channels to provide social welfare benefits for
the elderly, orphans and the disabled.
Social Welfare for the Elderly In accordance with the "Law of the People's
Republic of China on the Protection of Elderly People's Rights and Interests,"
the state and the society have adopted measures to improve conditions for such
people's livelihood, health and participation in social development. Governments
at all levels include services for elderly people in their socio-economic
development plans, gradually increase investments in services for elderly
people, and encourage investment from all sectors of society, so as to enable
such services to grow in coordination with socio-economic development. In recent
years, thanks to the promotion of the socialization of social welfare
undertakings, a social service system for elderly people has gradually taken
shape, with state- and collective-run social welfare organizations for elderly
people as the backbone, those sponsored by various social sectors as a new
growth point, community welfare services for elderly people as support, and
services for elderly people living at home as the basis. Today, there are 38,000
social welfare organizations of various kinds for elderly people, with 1.129
million beds, or 8.4 beds for every 1,000 people over the age of 60. In 2001,
the state introduced the "Starlight Plan -- National Community Welfare Service
for Elderly People." By June 2004, a total of 32,000 Starlight Homes for Elderly
People had been built or rebuilt in urban and rural areas all over China, with a
total investment of 13.49 billion yuan.
