Peng Jing, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference: Expand the coverage of maternity insurance to women in flexible employment

The issue of fertility costs has attracted much attention in recent years, and many proposals and suggestions of the two sessions of the National People's Congress this year have focused on this.

Peng Jing, a lawyer who is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the chief lawyer of Chongqing Jingsheng Law Firm, pointed out that at present, the cost of childbirth is mainly borne by employers and families, and continues to rise, and a new type of birth cost sharing cooperation mechanism has not yet formed a benign interaction between the government, society, families and employers.

She suggested that a tax system was introduced to encourage employers to hire women, and that when women entered the reproductive stage in the workplace, the state should reduce some of the burden on enterprises. Based on the diversification of current employment patterns, attempts can be made to extend maternity insurance coverage to women in flexible employment. Establish a flexible working mechanism for female employees to allow female employees to spend their childbirth and lactation (one year after childbirth) in the form of "compensatory dismissal, suspension of pay, part-time work, remote work".

<h4>No new fertility cost sharing cooperation mechanism has been formed</h4>

Peng Jing said that since the cost of childbirth is mainly borne by employers and families, in practice, only the direct cost of childbirth is considered in national policies, ignoring the indirect impact on employers and families, and a new type of birth cost sharing cooperation mechanism has not yet formed a benign interaction between the government, society, families and employers.

This also raises a number of problems, stating that, on the one hand, employers, from the perspective of maximizing profits, reduce or even be reluctant to recruit job-seeking women who are married and childless and potentially have two children.

"In the long run, women will be discriminated against by employers because they are disadvantaged in the competition in the labor market for taking on responsibilities such as housework and childbirth." Peng Jing pointed out.

On the other hand, individual women have concerns in the early and middle stages of fertility decisions, which are reflected in their reluctance to have children and dare not have children. For example, the lack of sufficient public services for the care of infants and young children, and the failure to support the balance between work and family at the policy level, which also makes the promotion effect of China's comprehensive two-child policy measures unsatisfactory, and the sustained low fertility rate will have a negative impact on the long-term development of Chinese society.

<h4>It is proposed to introduce a tax system that encourages employers to hire women</h4>

Peng Jing suggested that a new model of fertility cost sharing should be built to help women smoothly pass through the childbearing period, reduce the impact of childbirth on employment, and promote women's equal employment.

In terms of government protection, Peng Jing suggested that a tax system to encourage employers to hire women should be introduced, and when women enter the reproductive stage in the workplace, the state should reduce some burdens on enterprises, such as tax relief on corporate income tax, so that enterprises are more willing to hire women.

Peng Jing believes that at this stage, relevant pilot work can be carried out in some provinces and cities, and then promoted nationwide or determined through policy guidelines, legislation and other means after the conditions are ripe.

At present, the diversification of Employment Forms in China, she suggested that we can try to expand the coverage of birth insurance to women in flexible employment, and those who participate in birth insurance and pay in full continuously for more than one year can enjoy the treatment of birth insurance and more fully protect women's reproductive rights and interests.

In addition, Peng Jing believes that it is necessary to strengthen the cultivation of women's awareness of rights, encourage women to protect their rights in a timely manner by increasing the publicity of laws such as the Labor Law and the Law on the Protection of Women's Rights and Interests, teach ways and methods to collect evidence of gender discrimination in employment, and safeguard women's employment and vacation rights in legal channels.

<h4>It is recommended that flexible working mechanisms be established for female employees</h4>

In addition to the guarantee of employment, how to relieve the "worries" of childbirth?

Peng Jing said that perfect and developed childcare services, nursing services, and health care services are an important means to promote the balance between women's fertility and employment, and are an effective sharing of the indirect costs of women who give birth.

Therefore, she suggested improving the level of public service security for childbirth, exploring subsidies for childcare services, and providing "bottom-up" services such as childcare for families with children through public finance, and coordinating conflicts between women's families and work. In addition, standardize and optimize the development of the infant and child service industry and practitioners, improve the quality and service level of employees, accelerate the construction of mother and baby rooms in public places, and encourage employers to build fertility service venues such as "Loving Mommy Hut".

In terms of employer protection, she suggested that a flexible working mechanism be set up for female employees, allowing female employees to spend their childbirth and lactation (one year after childbirth) in the form of "compensatory dismissal, suspension of pay, part-time work, remote work" and other means, reflecting the special protection and humane care of female employees by law, so as to achieve a multi-party "win-win" for the protection of the rights and interests of society, employers and female employees.

In addition, on the basis of the pilot, the "extended paternity leave system for men" was promoted to indirectly balance the gender choice of enterprises, so as to alleviate gender discrimination among employers in employment.

Previously, the Shanghai Women's Federation proposed the model of "maternity leave is shared by both husband and wife and determined through consultation", and Peng Jing believes that it should be learned from to a certain extent to achieve "equal treatment of men and women" and reduce the pressure of women's job search.

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