Core 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]

Core Viewpoint - The "New Occupational Injury" insurance is designed to provide protection for workers employed through internet platforms, with a recent expansion of pilot programs to include ten additional provinces and larger platform companies, significantly increasing the number of beneficiaries [1][5]. Group 1: Policy Expansion - As of July 1, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and nine other departments decided to expand the pilot program for occupational injury protection to include Hebei, Zhejiang, Shandong, and other provinces [1]. - The new pilot program has been in effect for over a month, and its implementation is being closely monitored through interviews in various regions [1]. Group 2: Coverage and Benefits - Unlike traditional commercial accident insurance, the "New Occupational Injury" insurance does not require personal contributions, as all costs are covered by the platform [5]. - The program covers both full-time and part-time workers, ensuring a broader safety net for gig economy participants [5]. - Data shows that by June of this year, 12.3457 million people had enrolled in the "New Occupational Injury" insurance across seven pilot provinces [5]. Group 3: Future Developments - The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security plans to explore the inclusion of other high-risk industries and platform companies into the occupational injury protection pilot by 2027 [5]. - The initiative aims to establish a safety net for new employment forms, benefiting both insured individuals and platform companies [5].