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China's Interim Provisions on the Protection of Basic Rights and Interests of Workers Beyond Statutory Retirement Age (the “Interim Provisions”) took effect on 1 July 2026. Introduced against the backdrop of China's ageing population and the growing prevalence of post-retirement work, the Interim Provisions seek to address a gap in the labour law framework for this group. The Interim Provisions clarify key protections in relation to remuneration, rest and leave, occupational safety and health, work-related injury protection, and related dispute resolution routes. This update summarises the key requirements under the Interim Provisions.
《超龄劳动者基本权益保障暂行规定》（以下简称“《暂行规定》”）已于2026年7月1日起施行。在中国人口老龄化加深、退休后继续工作的情形日益增多的背景下，《暂行规定》旨在弥补现行劳动法律体系在超龄劳动者权益保障方面的空白。《暂行规定》明确了劳动报酬、休息休假、劳动安全卫生、工伤保障及相关争议解决路径等方面的基本保护要求。本次更新将概述《暂行规定》的主要规定。
Scope of application
适用范围
The Interim Provisions apply where an employer in mainland China engages a worker who (i) has exceeded the statutory retirement age, (ii) is subject to the employer's labour management, and (iii) performs remunerated work arranged by the employer. They also apply to workers who have lawfully retired early and are subsequently engaged by an employer after retirement.
《暂行规定》适用于中国大陆用人单位招用 (i) 超过法定退休年龄、(ii) 受用人单位劳动管理并 (iii) 从事用人单位安排的有报酬劳动的劳动者。符合规定已提前退休的劳动者在退休后被用人单位招用的，也属于《暂行规定》的适用范围。
The Interim Provisions do not apply to either of the following:
《暂行规定》不适用于以下任一情况：
- workers who have reached the statutory retirement age but continue working under the national rules on deferred retirement, as those workers remain subject to the general labour law framework, or
已达到法定退休年龄但根据国家有关规定延迟退休的劳动者，该等劳动者仍应适用一般劳动法框架；或者 - workers who are not subject to the employer's labour management.
不受用人单位劳动管理的超龄劳动者。
A particular point to note is that the application of PRC statutory retirement age and the Interim Provisions to foreign nationals may need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account additional factors such as whether the foreign national has acquired PRC nationality or holds a PRC permanent residence permit, the employer and validity period recorded on the relevant work permit, and local practice.
需要特别注意的是，外籍人士是否适用中国的法定退休年龄以及《暂行规定》，可能还需要结合该外籍人士是否加入中国国籍或持有中国绿卡、工作许可上登记的用人单位和有效期限、以及各地实践进行个案判断。
Written engagement agreement
用工协议
Employers must enter into a written agreement with workers beyond the statutory retirement age, specifying matters such as the term of engagement, work duties, work location, working hours, rest and leave, remuneration, social insurance, labour protection, working conditions, and protection against occupational hazards. Any amendment to the engagement agreement requires mutual agreement between the parties.
用人单位应当与超龄劳动者订立书面用工协议，明确协议期限、工作内容、工作地点、工作时间、休息休假、劳动报酬、社会保险、劳动保护、劳动条件、职业危害防护等事项。用工协议约定内容的变更，应经双方协商一致。
The engagement agreement may be terminated in the following circumstances:
- the agreed term expires;
- the agreed work has been completed;
- the agreed termination conditions occur; or
- both parties mutually agree to terminate the agreement.
用工协议可以在以下情形下终止：
- 约定的协议期限届满；
- 约定的工作内容完成；
- 约定的终止条件出现；或
- 双方协商一致终止用工协议。
Compared with the statutory termination regime for standard employment relationships, this gives the parties greater flexibility to agree termination mechanisms. The Interim Provisions also do not impose an express statutory severance requirement in this context. Employers should therefore ensure that the engagement agreement clearly records the nature of the arrangement, the key terms and any agreed termination conditions.
与标准劳动关系下的法定解除制度相比，《暂行规定》给予双方在约定终止机制方面更大的灵活性，且未明确要求在终止时支付经济补偿金。用人单位应在用工协议中清晰约定用工性质、核心条款以及双方同意适用的终止条件。
Basic entitlements
基本权益
The Interim Provisions expressly address four core areas of protection for workers beyond the statutory retirement age: remuneration, rest and leave, occupational safety and health, and work-related injury protection.
《暂行规定》明确规定了超龄劳动者四个方面的基本权益保障，即劳动报酬、休息休假、劳动安全卫生和工伤保障。
Remuneration
劳动报酬
The remuneration paid to workers beyond the statutory retirement age must not be lower than the applicable minimum wage standard. Employers must pay remuneration directly to the worker in monetary form, in full and on time in accordance with the agreement, and at least once a month. Employers may not replace monetary payment with goods, securities or other non-cash forms, and may not make unlawful deductions or delay payment without justification.
超龄劳动者的劳动报酬不得低于当地最低工资标准。 用人单位应当按照约定，以货币形式及时足额将劳动报酬支付给超龄劳动者本人，且至少每月支付一次。 用人单位不得以实物、有价证券等非货币形式替代劳动报酬，不得克扣或者无故拖欠劳动报酬。
Rest, leave and overtime
休息休假与加班
Employers must comply with the statutory rules on working hours and public holidays, and should generally avoid arranging overtime for workers beyond the statutory retirement age. Where overtime is arranged, employers must comply with the relevant requirements under labour law, including limits on overtime hours and, where applicable, the provision of compensatory rest or overtime pay.
用人单位应遵守法定工作时间制度和法定节假日规定，一般不应安排超龄劳动者加班。确需安排加班的，用人单位应遵守劳动法项下关于加班的相关规定，包括加班时长限制，并在适用情况下安排补休或支付加班工资。
The Interim Provisions do not expressly state whether workers beyond the statutory retirement age are entitled to statutory annual leave, sick leave/statutory medical treatment periods or other statutory leave entitlements. It is generally considered that there is no mandatory requirement to provide those benefits, although employers may agree such benefits with the worker in the engagement agreement.
《暂行规定》未明确超龄劳动者是否享有法定年休假、病假/医疗期以及其他法定休假权益。一般认为，用人单位并无强制义务向超龄劳动者提供该等福利，但可以在用工协议中与超龄劳动者作出约定。
Occupational safety and health
劳动安全卫生
Employers must arrange suitable positions and appropriate work intensity for workers beyond the statutory retirement age, and must provide education and training on work safety and occupational health.
用人单位应为超龄劳动者安排合适的工作岗位和劳动强度，并进行安全生产和职业卫生方面的教育和培训。
Work-related injury protection and other social insurance
工伤保障及其他社会保险
Employers must enrol workers beyond the statutory retirement age in work-related injury insurance. However, the extent to which such workers will enjoy the same work-related injury benefits as employees in standard employment relationships remains to be confirmed, as the Interim Provisions state that separate measures on work-related injury protection will be formulated.
用人单位应为超龄劳动者参加工伤保险。但是，超龄劳动者在多大程度上能够享有与标准劳动关系项下员工相同的工伤保障待遇仍有待进一步明确，因为《暂行规定》明确工伤保障办法将另行制定。
Other social insurance contributions and housing fund contributions are generally no longer required for such workers. If a worker beyond the statutory retirement age cannot yet enjoy basic pension insurance benefits or basic medical insurance benefits due to insufficient contribution years or similar reasons, they may continue contributing to pension insurance and medical insurance as an individual, or the employer may make such contributions for the worker by agreement.
除工伤保险外，超龄劳动者一般无需再参加其他社会保险和住房公积金。如超龄劳动者因缴费年限不足等原因尚未能享受基本养老保险待遇或基本医疗保险待遇，可以以个人身份继续缴纳养老保险和医疗保险，或者经与用人单位协商一致后由用人单位为其缴纳。
Dispute resolution
争议解决
Disputes between workers beyond the statutory retirement age and employers over (i) remuneration, (ii) rest and leave, (iii) occupational safety and health, or (iv) work-related injury protection will be handled under the PRC Labour Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Law. This means that disputes relating to those four basic rights will follow the ordinary labour dispute process, including the requirement to go through labour arbitration before litigation.
超龄劳动者与用人单位就 (i) 劳动报酬、(ii) 休息休假、(iii) 劳动安全卫生、(iv) 工伤保障发生争议的，依照《中华人民共和国劳动争议调解仲裁法》处理。这意味着，围绕上述四项基本权益发生的争议将按照普通劳动争议处理，并适用劳动仲裁前置的程序要求。
For disputes concerning other matters, the parties may bring a claim directly before the people's court without first going through labour arbitration. In addition, where an employer violates overtime rules, fails to comply with minimum wage requirements, or fails to pay remuneration in full and on time, the worker may lodge a complaint with the human resources and social security authorities.
对于因其他事项发生的争议，当事人可以依法直接向人民法院提起诉讼，无需先行经过劳动仲裁程序。此外，如用人单位违反加班安排相关规定、未依法遵守最低工资规定，或者未能及时足额支付劳动报酬，超龄劳动者可以向人力资源社会保障行政部门投诉。
Key takeaways
关键要点
In practice, many employers already engage experienced retirees as senior executives, senior technical personnel or consultants by first ending any existing employment contract, if applicable, and then entering into a separate service or engagement agreement that sets out the nature of the arrangement and the key terms. Employers also commonly arrange work-related injury insurance and agree with the worker on remuneration, benefits such as annual leave and sick leave, and termination conditions.
实践中，用人单位通常会在聘用退休人员担任高管、高级技术人员或顾问时，先终止其原有劳动合同（如有），再签署适用于退休人员的服务协议或用工协议，并在协议中明确聘用性质及核心条款。用人单位通常也会为退休人员缴纳工伤保险，并与其约定薪酬福利安排，包括年假、病假等福利以及用工终止条件。
The Interim Provisions do not fundamentally alter this general approach. However, employers should now review their standard engagement agreements and related practices to ensure that they include the required terms and are compliant in areas such as working hours, overtime arrangements, payment of remuneration, work-related injury insurance and dispute resolution. Employers should also consider expressly addressing matters not fully covered by the Interim Provisions, such as annual leave, sick leave, medical leave and termination conditions, so that the parties' expectations are clear from the outset.
《暂行规定》的出台并未根本改变上述实操方式。但是，用人单位应审阅现有退休返聘或其他超龄人员用工协议模板，确保相关协议包含《暂行规定》要求的条款，并在工作时间、加班安排、报酬支付、工伤保险和争议解决等方面符合新的合规要求。对于《暂行规定》未充分规定的事项，例如年假、病假、医疗期以及终止条件，用人单位也宜在协议中作出明确约定，以避免后续争议。
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
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