Chinese 996 Labor System Changing

Beijing’s top court has fired a warning shot over excessive working hours at Chinese companies, in authorities’ latest salvo in a sweeping regulatory crackdown on the country’s biggest technology groups. The strengthening of labor rights came after years of dissent among technology sector workers over the so-called 996 labor system, in which employees are expected to work from 9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week. Although China’s legal system is based on statutes rather than case precedent, it has begun to use precedents to supplement the law, especially with regard to rulings against the 996 system.