IBSS workshop helps students understand labour law and workplace rights

Strengthening students’ legal awareness and understanding of workplace risks is an important part of career development education in universities.

On 7 May, the IBSS Student Development and Support Team (SDS Team), in collaboration with the External Mentor Committee (Management), organised  its second career development sharing session of the term, titled “Labour Law Sharing: Understanding Legal Risks in Job Hunting.” The event aimed to help students better understand the legal issues and potential  risks associated with  job applications, employment and professional development.

The event was held with the support of Ms Anli Dai from Student Development Advise Centre and featured Yixin Zhang, a lawyer at Longan Law Firm and an alumna representative of the External Mentor Committee (Management), as the guest speaker. A total of 66 students attended the event both online and in-person.

Drawing on real-life cases and industry experience, the session provided a practical overview of the legal risks that university students may encounter during the recruitment and  onboarding processes. Key topics included recruitment compliance, employment contracts, social insurance contributions, probation management, offer withdrawals and labour disputes.

The session also introduced issues related to recruitment discrimination, employment regulations and legal protections for employees’ rights and interests. Students were encouraged to pay attention to not only to job responsibilities and salary packages when evaluating internship and employment opportunities, but also a company’s  legal compliance, organisational stability and long-term development prospects and pathways.

Given IBSS’s international learning environment, the session also addressed work permits, residence permits and internship compliance requirements for international students and foreign professionals seeking employment in China.

The event enhanced students’ understanding of labour law and strengthened their awareness of career planning and professional risk management. Looking ahead, IBSS will continue to organise industry-sharing sessions, career development activities, and alumni engagement events, providing students with more opportunities to connect with workplace realities and industry practice.