Overtime work schedule in Mainland China, 9AM-9PM, 6 days per week
This article is missing information about background on other (especially non-tech) overwork cultures in China; legitimized "special work hour" system in Shenzhen. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.(July 2021)
The 996 working hour system (Chinese: 996工作制) is a work schedule practiced illegally by many companies in China. It derives its name from its requirement that employees work from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, 6 days per week; i.e. 72 hours per week, 12 hours per day.[1][2][3][4][5][6] A number of Mainland Chinese internet companies have adopted this system as their official work schedule. Critics argue that the 996 working hour system is a violation of Chinese Labour Law and have called it "modern slavery".[7][8]
In March 2019, an "anti-996" protest was launched via GitHub.[9][10][11] Since then, the 996 issue has been met with growing discontent in China, but despite official promises to get rid of the system, it is still widespread as of 2024.[12][13][14]
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^Zhao, Ang (3 June 2018). "不接受"996"是不能吃苦?媒体:合法权益应获保障" [Do not accept "996" is not able to work hard? Media: Legal rights should be protected]. Xinhuanet (in Simplified Chinese). Workers' Daily. Archived from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2019.