BBS:      TELESC.NET.BR
Assunto:  China says it is illegal for companies to fire humans if AI takes
De:       Mike Powell
Data:     Tue, 5 May 2026 09:25:34 -0500
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 * Originally in: SF_Reality

China says it is illegal for companies to fire humans if AI takes their jobs

Date:
Mon, 04 May 2026 15:05:00 +0000

Description:
Chinese court rules AI-induced productivity gains aren't grounds enough to 
justify terminating a worker's contract.

FULL STORY
China has made it illegal
for companies to fire workers on the basis that they can be replaced by AI, 
making it one of the first countries to increase human labor protections amid 
a rise in workplace automation. 

The Hangzhou Intermediate People's Court essentially concluded that AI-driven 
job replacement does not constitute a "major change in the objective 
circumstances," which would usually allow a company to terminate a worker's 
contract. It's also notable that this happened in Hangzhou, because the city 
has been described as a major Chinese AI hub.
 
China increases human labor protections against AI -- The court
ruled that employers must show valid legal grounds beyond automation when 
laying off staff, and that simply reassigning workers with lower pay would 
also be unacceptable. 

This case stems from an actual tech worker being fired and not matched with a 
sufficiently high compensation payout, but it also draws reference to other 
workers who have been displaced by AI. 

One of the lawyers involved noted the significance of the case in today's 
automated era, explaining that companies must also bear the social 
responsibilities associated with AI's productivity boosts. 

"Technological progress may be irreversible, but it cannot exist outside a 
legal framework," Wang Tianyu, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of 
Social Sciences, explained.

However, the Chinese court also stresses that human employees must also 
contribute to the discourse and technological progression by continuing to 
adapt as work trends shift  staying ahead of the AI curve with all the right 
skills and training is as much their responsibility as their employer's. 

While China might be among the first to issue such a ruling, other countries 
and regions are expected to follow suit as AI continues to have an impact on 
global labor, with the EU's AI Act also covering some employment topics. 

Via The Register

Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/china-says-it-is-illegal-for-companies-to-fire-h
umans-if-ai-takes-their-jobs

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 * Origin: Capitol City Hub (1:2320/105)

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