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China´s new labour contract law: no harm to employment?

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  • Chen, Yu-Fu
  • Funke, Michael

Abstract

In January 2008, China imposed a new labour contract law. This new law is the most significant reform to the law of employment relations in mainland China in more than a decade. The paper provides a theoretical framework on the inter-linkages between labour market regulation, option value and the choice and timing of employment. All in all, the paper demonstrates that the Labour Contract Law in it´s own right will have only small impacts upon employment in the fast-growing Chinese economy. On the contrary, induced increasing unit labour costs represent the real issue and may reduce employment.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Yu-Fu & Funke, Michael, 2008. "China´s new labour contract law: no harm to employment?," SIRE Discussion Papers 2008-51, Scottish Institute for Research in Economics (SIRE).
    • Handle: RePEc:edn:sirdps:64
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10943/64
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Caixia Chen & Patsy Perry & Yixiong Yang & Cheng Yang, 2017. "Decent Work in the Chinese Apparel Industry: Comparative Analysis of Blue-Collar and White-Collar Garment Workers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-19, August.
    2. Günter Schucher, 2009. "China’s Employment Crisis – A Stimulus for Policy Change?," Journal of Current Chinese Affairs - China aktuell, Institute of Asian Studies, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies, Hamburg, vol. 38(2), pages 121-144.
    3. Xiaoying Li & Richard B. Freeman, 2015. "How Does China's New Labour Contract Law Affect Floating Workers?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 53(4), pages 711-735, December.

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