Henan orders officials to set example by taking full annual leave

A notice released by the Henan government has recently gone viral, with netizens discussing its instructions for leading officials to set an example of fully taking advantage of their annual leave in accordance with the law.

According to the notice, jointly released by the Organization Department of the CPC Henan Provincial Committee and five other departments, leaders are expected to demonstrate through practice that all employees are free to enjoy their annual leave in full, and are to be paid three times their daily wage for unused leave.

The notice promoted the implementation of staggered paid annual leave for employees by laying out detailed measures to safeguard paid vacation rights. It said all employees who have worked consecutively for 12 months are entitled to paid annual leave on an equal footing, regardless of their employment status, be they civil service establishments, labor contracts, dispatched labor, or temporary posts.

Annual leave days are determined by total working years: five days for workers with one to 10 service years; 10 days for those with 10-20 years; and 15 days for staff with 20 or more years on the job.

Priority for vacation schedules is granted to pregnant and breastfeeding workers, employees looking after disabled or seriously ill elderly family members and minor children, and migrant workers employed away from their hometowns.

To help workers plan short-distance and long-distance trips, the new policy introduces flexible leave combination arrangements. Employees are encouraged to combine paid annual leave with weekends, short statutory holidays, and school breaks to create flexible long breaks lasting 3 to 7 days.

Eligible work units may adjust their summer work schedules and pilot flexible clock-outs on Friday afternoons.

Workers may schedule their vacations around distinctive local events, such as temple fairs, Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival, folk custom celebrations, and Yellow River themed cultural activities.

The notice clarifies that where annual leave cannot be arranged due to objective work demands, such as major projects, emergency missions, and holiday time duty, employers must obtain the employee's consent and compensate unused annual leave at 300 percent of the worker's daily wage rate.

Regulatory authorities are to order employers that deliberately block workers' vacations, withhold annual leave compensation, or refuse to enforce the paid-leave policy to settle back pay and make indemnity payments.