An employee of an e-commerce division takes a nap at his desk at KSW Food Company's headquarters in Suzhou, Jiangsu province, at 5 am, on Nov 11, 2015. [Photo/IC]

THE STIPULATIONS on labor protection do not add up when it comes to weekly working hours, which a notice of the State Council, China's Cabinet, says should be 40, but the Labor Law says 44. Changjiang Daily commented on Tuesday:

The contradiction in the stipulations on the number of hours in a working week reflects the fact that there are conflicting labor protection rules.

The Labor Law apparently has the decisive say in how long the working week is. The State Council's different answer to the question, which can easily cause confusion, should be adjusted according to the law which was adopted by the national legislature.

Such a gray area should not exist long, because it might deal a blow to the credibility of the law and affects the government's law-abiding image. Moreover, some employers may intentionally use it to force employees to work extra hours or refuse to offer due medical aid to employees on sick leave.

Obsolete rules should be abolished as soon as possible. For example, the Labor Contract Law has specific provisions elaborating on the terms of probation, but other ministerial regulations have not all caught up with the updates.

Such regulatory contradictions not only exist in the management of labor, but also in the annual examination of vehicles and the mergers between State-owned enterprises and listed companies. Their longevity has made it difficult for residents and administrative departments to communicate, let alone cooperate.

To get rid of these flawed rules requires all the departments concerned to work closely and efficiently together. The outdated regulations should be abolished on time to avoid any contradictions with the nation's laws.