The Shenzhen social security bureau will levy a fine on all employers who do not hire a certain number of disabled people, as required by the local government, according to a new policy published in the latest government gazette Wednesday.

The new policy would ensure more enterprises fulfill their obligation of promoting employment of the disabled, a source with the city's federation for the disabled said.

According to the policy, all employers, including government organizations, private businesses and foreign companies are subject to the regulation.

Employers are required to ensure that at least 0.5 percent of their total staff are physically handicapped people. Those who fail to hire enough disabled people will have to pay an employment guarantee fine.

The fine is obtained by multiplying the number of the disabled staff members the employer fails to hire by 80 percent of the average salary in the city. The fines collected will be used to promote employment of disabled people.

The social security department will collect the fund once a year. The federation for the city's disabled can ask the court to force the employers to pay the fund if they refuse to do so.

(Shenzhen Daily October 20, 2005)