Quake zone jobs protected

Labor departments in quake zones must be alert to attempts at large-scale corporate downsizing in the wake of last month's disaster, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MHRSS) said on Monday.

The labor contract law defines "large-scale" staff cuts as those involving more than 20 employees or 10 percent of a company's labor force.

In cases where such cuts are necessary, firms must report to local governments before making them, a document released on the ministry's website (mohrss.gov.cn) said.