Labour dispatch in China: flexibility and security in employment

Abstract

ABSTRACT Across the globe, atypical, or nonstandard, employment can be found in many places. Since China began to undertake economic reforms four decades ago, dispatch workers have become a significant component of its workforce. Although China has a legal framework in place for regulating the labour-dispatch industry, the past decade witnessed instances of enterprise noncompliance and unfair treatment of dispatch workers. Accordingly, this study highlights the current situation of labour dispatch in China, outlines the current regulatory framework, and ascertains whether regulatory reforms are warranted to deal with issues arising from the tripartite relationship between the labour-dispatch entity, the labour-service user, and the dispatch worker.