5 October, 2015
On 22 September 2015, the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) released a notice requiring all levels of trade unions to enforce the State Council's recently issued opinions on improving the legal aid system (the "Notice"). The key points of the Notice are as follows:
- Industries in which labour disputes occur frequently, and where employees' rights and interests are easily infringed, should be identified as key areas for legal aid;
- Rural workers who are incapable of protecting their rights and poverty-stricken employees should be treated as the highest priority for legal aid;
- Delayed payment of salaries and compensation for work-related injuries should be handled as priority cases;
- Legal aid should be rolled out and extended to towns, counties, communities and industrial parks;
- The financial assessment of rural workers when they make applications for payment of salary or compensation for work-related injuries should be removed; and
- Efforts should be made to accept, assess, and handle applications made by rural workers and impoverished employees within one day.
For further information, please contact:
Pádraig Walsh, Partner, Bird & Bird
padraig.walsh@twobirds.com
