Xin Lang Cai Jing·2026-03-17 03:28Core Insights - The report highlights the progress of the "New Occupational Injury" (referred to as "New Job Injury") protection for new employment forms, transitioning from pilot programs to nationwide implementation [1][7] - This initiative is a significant institutional innovation affecting approximately 84 million delivery riders and ride-hailing drivers in China, addressing the lack of protection for these flexible workers [3][9] Policy Development - The "New Job Injury" pilot program began in July 2022 in seven provinces, including Beijing and Shanghai, with the aim of creating a model where platform companies pay for occupational injury insurance for their workers [3][9] - By July 2025, the pilot program will expand to 17 provinces, with over 25 million participants already enrolled as of March 2023 [3][9] Financial Contributions - As of February 2026, Meituan, a leading platform company, has paid over 2.77 billion yuan in insurance premiums, covering approximately 17.28 million riders [4][10] Welfare Initiatives - Meituan is also exploring long-term welfare support for new employment form workers, including a pension insurance subsidy starting in 2025, covering 50% of the insurance costs for eligible riders [6][12] - The company has initiated "rider apartments" in cities like Beijing and Chengdu, providing subsidized housing to alleviate transitional housing pressures for riders [6][12] - The "Rider Major Illness Care Plan" has been upgraded to cover all types of riders and their immediate family members, with over 7,570 beneficiaries and more than 210 million yuan in care funds distributed since its launch in 2019 [6][12] Social Safety Net - The solid advancement of the "New Job Injury" system is creating a more robust social safety net for millions of new employment form workers, addressing the need for enhanced rights protection in the context of flexible employment [7][13]