China Publishes Working Hours, Weekly Rest Rules for Workers
- • China's Labour Law caps working hours at 8 hours per day and 44 hours per week on average for all labourers
- • The law also requires every employer to give workers at least one day off every week without exception
- • Piecework employees and workers in enterprises with special production needs fall under separate provisions of the same law
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China's Labour Law sets clear limits on how long workers can be required to work, with specific provisions covering daily hours, weekly hours, rest days, and special categories of employment.
Under Article 36 of the law, the standard working hour system limits labourers to no more than eight hours in a single day and an average of no more than 44 hours across a full week.
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The rule applies broadly to workers under the employment of any unit operating in China.
Rules for piecework and rest days
For workers paid on a piecework basis, the law does not exempt their employers from the standard hour limits. Article 37 requires employing units to set work quotas and piecework pay rates in a way that reflects and aligns with the eight-hour daily limit set out in Article 36.
This means employers cannot use piecework arrangements to push workers beyond the legal cap.
On the question of rest, Article 38 is straightforward: every employing unit must ensure that each staff member or worker gets at least one full day off per week.
When exceptions apply
The law acknowledges that some enterprises operate under conditions that make it difficult to follow the standard daily and weekly schedules. Article 39 allows such enterprises to adopt alternative working hour arrangements, but only where the nature of their production justifies it and only after obtaining approval from the relevant administrative department of labour. The provision is a limited exception, not a general opt-out.
Together, the four articles form the foundation of China's legal framework on working time, covering salaried workers, piecework employees, and industries with non-standard production cycles under a single set of binding rules.
240-hour visa-free transit in China
Legit.ng earlier reported that China has officially released the full list of countries whose citizens qualify for its 240-hour visa-free transit policy, covering 55 nations across four regions but leaving the entire African continent off the list.
Source: Legit.ng
