职工社保参保下沉需要新体制

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the need for a more suitable new system to continue the downward expansion of social insurance coverage, highlighting that increasing coverage and maintaining low contribution levels necessitate a stratified social insurance system [1][5]. Summary by Sections Social Insurance Coverage and Legal Context - The Supreme People's Court's recent interpretation clarifies that agreements between workers and employers to avoid social insurance contributions are invalid, supporting workers' claims for economic compensation [2]. - The interpretation is not a new regulation; the Social Insurance Law of 2010 already mandates participation in five basic social insurances, yet a significant number of workers remain uninsured [2][3]. Current Coverage Statistics - Since 2005, the coverage of urban employees in social insurance has expanded rapidly, with the insured workforce increasing from 130 million (46% coverage) to 387 million (82% coverage) by 2024 [2]. - Despite high participation rates, there is a discrepancy between insured individuals and those actually contributing, with compliance rates for pension insurance dropping from 89.98% in 2006 to 80.25% in 2015 [3]. Challenges in Coverage Expansion - The downward expansion of social insurance faces challenges due to low wage levels among target groups, leading to high contribution burdens for both employers and employees [4]. - Many provinces have minimum contribution bases exceeding twice the local minimum wage, affecting about 25% of workers earning at minimum wage [4]. Need for a New System - The current model of social insurance coverage cannot sustain both broad coverage and high contribution standards, risking pressure on small and medium enterprises and potentially increasing informal employment [5]. - A new system design is necessary to lower contribution thresholds and rates, suggesting that the total pension rate should be reduced to at least 15% to balance compliance between formal and informal employment [5].