Many cities throughout China have recently been holding job fairs for retired people. Many retirees took up a part-time job after attending the event. However, with the increasing of the number of such fairs, some problems have emerged. Relevant departments will therefore strengthen the regulation of employment markets for retirees to protect their legal rights.  
 
The times are changing, and not just for the young folk. More and more retirees don't want to just stay at home doing housework and helping to bring up their grandchildren. They want to get back to work. He says his major was chemistry. He wants to find another job to continue to make contributions to the country, as well as to keep fit.

In recent years, along with the development of private companies in China, the demand for retired people to get back in the workforce has increased dramatically, especially those working in the fields of marketing, management, architecture, medical care and machinery.

A manager of a private company, who employs over eighty retired people, explains one reason why they like to hire retirees is that they don't need training before they start working:

He says retirees have both comprehensive knowledge and rich work experience, so they can take up their posts immediately, and know how to use their knowledge and experience. Also, they can handle emergencies which younger staff cannot.

However, some who have attended job fairs for retired people complain that some companies require interested candidates to attend some training courses - with high tuition fees. Others preferred not to sign employment contracts with them, and some didn't carry out the employment contracts' provisions.

So, finding a way to protect people's legal rights when they take a job after retirement is drawing wider attention across the country.

Director of Beijing Human Resources Development Center for the Retired Chen Sen says the city has drawn up some rules to strengthen the regulation of employment markets for retired people.

He says those companies which want to seek retired employees on job markets should prove their worth by providing organizers with relevant certificates. Organizers will do more to prevent some companies from seeking applications outside the markets without permission. And organizers will provide legal consultations to help the retirees get a better understanding of collective bargaining agreements and dealing with management-employee disputes.

Statistics show that there are some 3.5 million are in good health and willing to take another job after retiring with middle-ranking or senior professional titles.

(CRI April 16, 2004)