On September 29, 2016, Cantonese Congress promulgated a new regulation that it will extend  the maternity leave from 50 days to 128 days, which rapidly becomes the most contentious topic in China.

On one hand, it is considered as an auspicious opportunity to working women, for it provides ample time for them to recover from  parturition without worrying about being fired. On the other hand, the new regulation sparks consternation among single young girls, most of whom are seeking for jobs. From their standpoints, it will cause discrimination towards female, for the law only adjusts the childbirth  leave of mother and neglects the father`s duties. Furthermore, the new rule may reinforce the stereotype that women, instead of men, should be amenable to parenting their children. In fact, men should take the corresponding responsibilities for family. As a result, it amplifies the current chasm between man and woman in job markets.

In respect of business ethics, it is vital for a company to balance maternity leave and the development of a company due to the raising proportion of women in job market. Chen Xiaoxian, president of Beijing branch of CITIC Bank, recently claimed that he would only provide 110 days` leave for the first born baby and 60 days for the second, which was regarded as a breach towards woman’s rights. From another perspective, it was a surrender to rapid economy development. Without the government regulations and appropriated laws to uphold the priority of women, same things also happen in other corporations in China which are inclined to avoid hiring non-pregnant women, for they can`t suffer the loss from the vacancy of workforce. This has prompted me with UK`s new rules that “allow UK parents to share leave following the birth or adoption of their child have come into effect”, which may buffer the negative impacts of discrimination resulted from the maternity leave. Maybe in this case, government plays an essential role in business ethics.

According to Jialin Xu`s blogs, upholding the equal rights of man and woman “may improve not only the brand’s business ethics, but additionally allows them to claim a unique position [in] the mind of the customer in their consumer’s perspective as a product that best empathizes with the struggles of the working woman. “I basically concur with her in this point. However, we can`t overlook actual loss undertaken by businesses. In my point of view, enterprises should ameliorate their operations by rewarding those with aptitudes to take extra responsibilities or spreading the work to more branches, etc.

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Reference

How the UK’s new rules on parental leave work – BBC News

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32130481

China Briefing News China Regulatory Brief Adjusted Maternity Leave in Guangdong and Cancelled Consumer Tax for Cosmetic Products Comments

http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2016/10/10/china-regulatory-brief-8.html

Jialin Karen Xus Blog

https://blogs.ubc.ca/jlinxu/2016/10/16/16/