The Impact of SARS: Guidance for Employers in the PRC

By Sara Yang Bosco, Perkins Coie, Hong Kong

Now that the panic surrounding severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in China and the rest of Asia appears to be abating, discussions as to the virus' long-term impact on our customs and habits are beginning to appear in the press. While China's initial handling of the crisis has been widely criticized, it is undisputed that the Chinese government took swift action once it realized the seriousness of the disease. The number of notices and regulations dealing specifically with SARS on a number of fronts issued in May alone have been nothing short of breathtaking.

This is particularly true in the area of employment. Employees' rights and employers' obligations have been expanded in light of SARS. Is the legal expansion unique to the particular circumstances of this virulent virus or does it have broader and more long-term ramifications? Here we sketch out some key points in the specific directives that were issued over the past weeks and then discuss the impact of SARS on labour issues further down the road.