As of the end of November, Beijing had dealt with 5,625 cases of employers failing to pay migrant workers, and 18,982 migrant workers received 176 million yuan (US$26.6 million) in backpay.
In order to ensure that migrant workers in Beijing can return home with their owed wages before the upcoming Spring Festival, 12 governmental departments, including the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform and the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, launched a large-scale law enforcement inspection of wage payment for migrant workers on Dec. 8.
For projects receiving local government investment with delayed salaries due to default on construction funds, the local governments are required to pay off all wages owed prior to the end of 2017 to safeguard migrant workers’ rights to get paid. The municipal government also allows using emergency funds to provide loans to enterprises unable to pay or owe wages due to difficulties in their production and operation.
Regarding owed wages in construction enterprises, migrant workers can be paid with previously deposited wage security payments from employers. For government-invested projects involving unpaid wages, local governments should advance payments to the workers.
In addition, any offenders of labor law that refuse to pay remuneration will be prosecuted according to the law.