(ECNS) -- The Chinese government is encouraging a flexible implementation of the country's rules on paid vacation to fuel consumption.
In summer, public institutions and organizations can arrange for flexible working schedules to offer employees favorable conditions, including "Friday afternoon plus weekend" holidays, according to a recent briefing of the State Council.
The State Council has officially promoted paid vacation for employees at least five times this year.
Wu Wenxue, deputy head of the national tourism watchdog, said the State Council had passed a proposal on further promoting tourism investment and consumption during its executive meeting on July 28.
The guideline has made it clear that more effort will be made to push ahead with the implementation of paid vacation rules, Wu said.
It also disclosed further concrete measures that are set to be taken, including encouraging flexible vacation arrangements.
According to a survey by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, only half of qualifying Chinese employees take paid vacations.
While Party and government organs and their affiliated institutions, large state-owned enterprises and foreign-funded companies honor the requirement relatively better, paid vacation rules are poorly implemented in private enterprises as well as small and medium-sized companies, the survey found.
