The “Law of the People’s Republic of China on Mediation and Arbitration of Labor Disputes” (“the New Law”) came into force on May 1, 2008. This promulgation has introduced many innovative concepts to Chinese law. The most notable change was the extension of the statutory period for filing arbitration applications in labor disputes.

By Xu Xiaodan,  King & Wood’s International Litigation & Arbitration Group.

 

According to the “Labor Law of The People’s Republic of China,” which was implemented on Jan 1, 1995, the statutory period to file an arbitration application in labor disputes was 60 days commencing from the date the parties actually became aware of the dispute or should have become aware. The New Law extended the period to all circumstances, but gives an even longer time to apply in certain circumstances as mentioned below.

In addition, the new law further provides that when salary payments are in arrears and the aggrieved laborer fails to apply for arbitration for fear of retaliation, this statutory period can be further extended. This is not applicable in the case where an employment is terminated; in such cases the one year limitation shall be strictly construed.

It is also worth noting that this further extension for filing arbitration applications is only applicable to cases where “salary payments are in arrears.” In other cases, such as the employer violating social security and welfare rights, the required period for filing shall be one year, which is calculated from the date the parties were aware or should have been aware of the disputes.

 

 

    1995年1月1日起施行的《中华人民共和国劳动法》,劳动争议申请仲裁的时效期间是自劳动争议发生之日起60天,而新的《劳动调解仲裁法》把这个期限延长到了一年。

 

   

关于劳动争议申请仲裁的时效期间

 

作者:徐晓丹,  诉讼仲裁组      国际诉讼部

 

200851,《中华人民共和国劳动争议调解仲裁法》(“下称《劳动调解仲裁法》”)正式生效施行。与以前调整劳动争议的法律相比,本法有很多创新之处,其中对劳动争议申请仲裁的时效期间的延长就是一个引人注目的亮点。  

 

 

 

 

不但如此,针对实践中用人单位拖欠劳动者劳动报酬的问题比较突出、而劳动者为了保住工作在劳动关系存续期间往往不敢申请仲裁的情况,新的《劳动调解仲裁法》还做出特别规定:劳动关系存续期间因拖欠劳动报酬发生争议的,劳动者申请仲裁不受上述一年仲裁时效期间的限制;但是,劳动关系终止的,应当自劳动关系终止之日起一年内提出。

 

值得注意的是,这种对仲裁时效的宽限,仅限于用人单位拖欠劳动报酬的情形,而劳动者因社会保险及福利等权益受侵害的情形则不能享受这种宽限,即仍必须在“知道或应当知道其权益被侵害之日起”一年内提起仲裁。