(LI SHIGONG) 

The implementation of the family planning policy for more than three decades has left China with a huge number of one-child families. As many of these families now have parents older than 60, they are more prone to illness and hospitalization than before. When parents fall ill there is usually no one else but the grown-up child to take care of them. If the child asks for leave, his or her employer may either reject the request or deduct from their wages. If the employer is in economic difficulty, the employee may even get fired. As a result, either these children don't dare to request leave and continue to worry about their elderly parents, or they may suffer career stagnation if they choose to take care of their parents, which will make the seniors feel uneasy and even guilty.

Southeast China's Fujian Province has recently issued a regulation stipulating that from March 1 employers will offer a maximum of 10 days' paid leave per annum for employees who are only children, enabling them to take care of their hospitalized parents aged above 60. Although only a local regulation, it has been well received and hailed as a humane and caring policy for one-child families. However, some are worried about whether this regulation can really be carried out, and some also believe enterprises that adhere to the rule should receive some compensation for the loss caused by such absences.

A considerate policy

Many people born in the 1980s and 1990s are only children, with no brothers or sisters. When their parents become older, they have to take care of both their parents and their young children. Particularly if their elderly parents are hospitalized for illness, they might suffer losses in the form of a reduced seasonal or annual bonus due to asking for leave. Worse still, if they are found frequently absent from work they may even be fired. In this case, their parents will also feel guilty. However, if they do not act they'll feel worried about their parents and others will view them as unfilial.

Hu Jianbing (www.cnhubei.com): To support elderly parents is a child's customary obligation in China. The regulation in Fujian guarantees paid leave for employees who take care of hospitalized parents. In this way, children will be more dedicated to the care, while parents will also feel at greater ease in their child's presence. Once the parents have recovered, their children will return to their work with more devotion.

Sometimes children refuse to look after their sick parents, claiming that it's difficult to ask for leave. Now, with a paid leave designated to care for sick parents, they can no longer reject their obligation. Otherwise, they'll be scolded by the public and their colleagues and neighbors will look down upon them. With this paid leave, children are encouraged to show kindness to their parents.

Feng Haiyan (Beijing Morning Post): You may dawdle over anything, except taking care of your elderly parents, as you never know when they will leave you forever. Being unable to take care of one's parents during their final years will be a life-time regret. Besides, in illness the elderly tend to feel mentally weak, thus requiring their children more than ever. Those who have sisters or brothers may find it easier to manage, but it's challenging for an only child.

Most children want to be with their parents when either one of them is sick, but if they have a formal job, they usually don't have the time. Usually, they can get permission for leave only when their parents are in a very serious condition—even then most companies will deduct from their wages. Thanks to Fujian's paid leave policy, employees with aging parents now don't need to worry whether they should stay at work or take care of their parents.

Long Minfei (Beijing Morning Post): Fujian's paid leave regulation is widely applauded, mostly because it's an effective supplement to the current social security system for the elderly. Paid leave will to some extent help relieve economic pressures on the children, who may struggle with the high medical costs of their parents.

In order to put the regulation into practice there must be supportive measures. For example, the government should subsidize employers who allow their workers to enjoy the benefits of paid leave. Otherwise, employers may not be so enthusiastic about the regulation. Trade unions should also help to defend workers' right to enjoy the paid leave.

Extra costs

Although the state has now relaxed the family planning policy, allowing every couple to have two children, we can't forget that one-child families have made great contributions to curbing the previous explosive population growth. These families should always be given aid from the government. Since these elderly parents have only one child to depend on when hospitalized, how this child can take care of them becomes a pressing problem. The paid leave regulation in Fujian is expected to help solve the issue.

He Yonghai (Legal Daily): However, we are not optimistic about the actual implementation of this regulation. Government departments, public institutions as well as state-owned and foreign-funded enterprises can be expected to abide by the regulation, whereas some private companies, particularly small and medium-sized ones, may not fare so well given their questionable record of implementing the paid annual leave policy, according to a survey by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Therefore, this paid leave regulation may become an empty promise in some companies.

Companies are worried that such absences of staff will affect their normal operation and performance. More importantly, companies have to pay them as usual despite their absence. Thus, employers are understandably unwilling to offer paid leave. Meanwhile, employees also have their concerns: Paid leave might affect their career prospects, given the fierce competition in many companies and the job market at large. Consequently, they may refuse to take the leave, which is not what the policy designers expect to see.

There must be an effective supervisory mechanism to ensure that employers deliver this benefit to their employees. It's even necessary to amend the current related laws to give legal support. Meanwhile, it's also desirable that enterprises that implement this regulation receive some subsidies.

Chang Longchuan (www.rednet.cn): The 10-day paid leave is undoubtedly a positive measure. In any country, region or city, nursing of the elderly is provided by the government and their dependents—mostly their children. However, policies like this one require the children's employers to share the responsibility.

Such paid leave is very likely to cause companies losses. In most cases, an employee's absence can affect the overall working process, sometimes forcing companies to hire casual workers. When companies are forced to do so their operating cost will undoubtedly rise.

Gradually, companies will try to avoid hiring relatively old workers whose parents are still alive (in case their elderly parents fall ill and get hospitalized) to save unexpected extra expenses. Laborers aged between 40 and 60 are already the most vulnerable group in the job market. Employers' fresh concerns will make it only harder for them to find employment, or reemployment after being laid off because of the efforts to address overcapacity in some industries. In this way, employees will have to "volunteer" to give up such welfare as paid leave for taking care of hospitalized parents.

In order to put this regulation into real practice, it's necessary to set up some incentives for enterprises, such as financial subsidies and tax deductions. Employees' duty to look after hospitalized parents should be fulfilled. However, employers' economic interests are equally important. We don't want to see enterprises slip into economic difficulties due to such paid leave.

Copyedited by Dominic James Madar

Comments to yanwei@bjreview.com