Beijing bans gender discrimination against women in employment

BEIJING - Beijing has banned gender discrimination practices in recruitment to boost career opportunities for women, according to a document released Thursday.

No requirements for gender should be included in any recruitment plans or interviews, according to the document from the Beijing Municipal Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.

It is also forbidden to ask about the marital or fertility status of female candidates during interviews, and pregnancy testing should be off the list of pre-employment health examination.

Those found in violation will be fined from 10,000 yuan (around 1,488 US.dollars) to 50,000 yuan if they refuse to correct their practices. HR service providers may have their licenses revoked for serious offenses, according to the document.

In February, China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and eight other government agencies pledged to ban discrimination against women and build a sound mechanism to supervise employers and offer legal aid to women employees.