Eight ministries, including the Ministry of Public Security and
Ministry of Labor and Social Security, sent out a notice recently
calling to carry out the Regulation on Banning Child Labor and to
establish an employee registration and verification system. The
notice also demands the crack down on employers who hire child
labor.
According to the notice, each unit must verify employees' identity
cards and register all information on the employees. The
information includes the employee's name, sex, native place, date
of birth, and the number of their ID card and the number of the
individual labor contract. The unit also has to properly manage the
registration information of the employee and be ready for the
supervision and verification from relevant departments. Otherwise,
the employer will be punished by the administrative department of
labor and social security.
These eight ministries also forbid any agency for employment and
individual to recommend a minor for any post. The legal rights of
injured child labor should be protected and the
one-time-compensation for injured child labor should be properly
carried out. Relevant departments should approach management on art
and athletic units, which employ art and literature workers and
athletes under 16 years old. Government should clear the management
authority and division of responsibility, and practice the labor
reserve system and raise the qualification of each laborer.
The notice clarifies the subject of employing child labor and
eliminates labor that doesn't fall into this category such as
family work and housework a minor has to do. The notice forbids
child labor in all units that include government offices, social
organizations, enterprises, public institutions, community-run
institutions and small-scale individually-owned business.
The newly-made Regulation on Banning Child Labor has been in force
since December 1, 2002. The regulation is of great importance for
the rectification of the market economy, protection of teenager's
mental and physical health and protection of children's legal
rights.
(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan, May 19, 2003)