Bureau call for halt to large gatherings

Shanghai Human Resources and Social Security Bureau released a notice on Monday asking its district counterparts, employers and related enterprises not to organize large-scale events, including job fairs, to avoid crowds gathering amidst the city’s efforts to prevent spread of coronavirus-related pneumonia.

The bureau asks them to change the organization of job fairs, meetings and training, and use the Internet as much as possible. Authorities are asked to improve Internet services and guide employers and job hunters to get in contact online.

For vocational qualification tests and other events that must be held offline, organizers are asked to take effective preventive measures.

The bureau said all related departments should give full play to the government’s “one-stop” online service system to reduce people’s visits to physical service centers and avoid crowds gathering. The service centers should also enhance disinfection and ventilation to reduce infection risk.

The bureau also asks the centers to provide service staff with masks and gloves and to take visitors’ temperatures.

Employers should pay the full salaries of infected employees, those suspected of infection and their close contacts when they are undergoing treatment or in quarantine, the bureau said.

If employment contracts expire during treatment or quarantine, the contract periods should be prolonged to when they are discharged.

As the city government has decided to extend the Spring Festival holiday to February 9, employers are asked to pay contracted salaries to employees for non-working days that are within a pay cycle. For the days beyond a pay cycle, pay should not be under the city’s minimum standard.

For those who work during the extended holiday, employers have to pay overtime wage or allow them to take some time off later.

Enterprises facing operational difficulties due to the epidemic are asked to keep jobs as stable as they can, by means such as adjusting salaries and shortening work time after discussing and reaching agreement with employees. They are asked to try their best not to lay off employees.

Medical staff’s infection by the virus during work should be recognized as occupational injuries no matter whether they have bought the insurance or not and will enjoy fast-track service to get compensation.

Epidemic prevention and control staff will get temporary work allowances, the bureau said.