A sharp U-turn in China’s Covid-19 prevention policy also translates into theatrical changes in the job market. In the past, people who had been tested positive for Covid-19 had difficulties landing a job; they are now given priority when looking for positions.
Due to the suddenly loosened Covid-19 measures, the number of people who are infected with the disease has risen sharply. Some people believe that being infected with the disease is the equivalent of gaining immunity. “It is better to be infected first,” so that they can avoid facing the uncertainty of being infected all the time.
The Wechat account of Legal Daily, a major state newspaper, posted in an article on December 20 that some recent job openings claim that “priority is given to those who have tested positive for Covid-19.” Some even explicitly say, “not interested in those who have tested negative for Covid-19.” A lawyer in Beijing said that this may be employment discrimination and is illegal.
Before the dramatic change in the Covid-19 policy, there was no lack of job market discrimination against those who were Covid positive. Back in October, a large number of Foxconn workers in Zhengzhou, Henan province, left the factory on foot because, among other things, they were afraid that even if they recovered from the epidemic, they would have difficulty finding a job.
Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), December 22, 2022
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202212200277.aspx