Lawyer asks State Council to adjust Chinese holidays

A lawyer has asked China's cabinet to adjust official holidays in 2013.

The State Council this week announced there would be 29 days of official holidays next year.

But lawyer Han Fuzheng said this means employers will be forced to break the labor laws, as workers will have to work for eight successive days from January 4 to 11 after the three-day New Year holidays beginning on January 1.

The labor laws state that people are entitled to a day off on the first day of the new year, but the State Council has made changes to allow workers three days off from January 1 to 3, asking them to work over the weekend on January 5 and 6.

People will also have to work seven successive days from February 16 to 22 after the 7-day Lunar New Year holidays from February 9 to 15 next year.

Han said:"According to the labor laws, no employers can force their employees to work for more than a week without at least a day off."

Han said he is awaiting a reply from the State Council.