Issued by:    Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security
Issue No.:    Renshebufa [2025] No. 62
Release Date:    November 13, 2025
Effective date:    November 13, 2025
Links:    https://www.mohrss.gov.cn/SYrlzyhshbzb/shehuibaozhang/zcwj/gongshang/202511/t20251120_562398.html

The Notice (III), addressing new situations and issues arising in recent practice concerning the determination of work-related injuries, further clarifies relevant rules and serves as an important supplementary document to the Regulations on Work-Related Injury Insurance. The main contents are summarized as follows:

1. It specifies detailed circumstances for the three core elements required for recognizing a work-related injury: "work time, work place, and work cause."

1) Work Time: This includes not only statutory, contractually agreed, or employer-specified work hours but also time spent completing tasks temporarily assigned by the employer or specific duties, as well as overtime hours.

2) Work Place: The scope of recognition extends from areas under the effective management of the employer to relevant external areas necessary for completing specific work, as well as reasonable areas transited between multiple related locations due to work requirements.

3) Work Cause: It clarifies that injuries sustained while performing one's job duties, completing tasks assigned by the employer, or safeguarding the legitimate interests of the employer are considered due to work cause. It specifically notes that injuries sustained while addressing essential physiological needs in a reasonable location during work time are considered work-related, unless entirely caused by personal reasons.

2. It offers a relatively broad interpretation of "commuting to and from work." Beyond the regular commute between the workplace and one's residence, habitual domicile, or employer-provided dormitory, reasonable routes to and from "the residences of one's spouse, parents, or children" are included. It also recognizes engagement in activities essential to daily life and work during a reasonable time and on a reasonable route while commuting.

3. It addresses the determination of work-related injuries under the new work-from-home model.

1) Where sufficient evidence proves that an employee sustained an accident injury due to work-related causes while working from home, it may be recognized as a work-related injury. However, temporary, sporadic, and simple work-related communication is not considered "work cause".

2) Regarding whether sudden illness at home is treated as a work-related injury, if sufficient evidence proves that the employee was handling work at home based on the employer's requirements and work needs, essentially consistent with their regular work intensity and state, and clearly occupying rest time, it may be regarded as "work time and work position".