China's employment stabilization policies in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate China's employment stabilization policies in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and to discuss the accessibility of these policies in practice. In addition, by focussing on the problems and dilemmas encountered during the implementation of these policies, this paper proposes some future directions for reforming employment protection and social insurance to adapt to the changing employment structure and mode in China. Design/methodology/approach The design and methodology of this paper utilises open sources and documentary materials on China's employment stabilization policies, employment protection and social insurance measures. Findings The employment stabilization policies/measures launched during the COVID-19 pandemic were formulated under an initial policy framework designed only for employees in a definite employment relationship and do not match the current employment structure and model. As a result, the accessibility of employment stabilization policies/measures is limited because some worker groups that are the most affected are not covered by the policies. Originality/value This paper provides timely analysis on the China's employment stabilization policies and evaluates the accessibility of these policies.