Beijing formalized labor rules for gig workers on online platforms, including delivery drivers and livestreamers, as the sector takes on a larger role in China’s economy.
The guidance, which requires tech companies to provide fair pay and stronger protections, signals “a shift from ad-hoc regulation to normalization of the platform economy,” Bloomberg wrote.
Beijing has stepped up scrutiny of delivery apps in particular in recent months as a tough job market pushes more people to pick up gig work as a way to make ends meet; those in “flexible” positions now make up 27% of China’s workforce, Caixin reported this month.
Some scholars predict that figure could eventually reach 60%.