Zhejiang province has officially passed a new regulation on Friday, extending marriage leave from 3 days to 13 days.

The Zhejiang province marriage leave regulation was approved by the 12th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 14th Provincial People's Congress on Friday. According to the regulation, employees who legally register their marriage are entitled to a 13-day marriage leave.

The regulation came into effect upon its announcement, meaning that this new wave of benefits can be enjoyed right away.

Prior to this update, Zhejiang followed the marriage leave regulation outlined in 1980, which stipulated a marriage leave of 1 to 3 days.

With the economic and social development, the proportion of cross-city and cross-province marriages in Zhejiang stands at one-sixth and one-ninth, respectively. The increasing trend of marrying across different locations has rendered the short marriage leave inadequate to meet the actual needs of the employees.

The benefits brought by the new regulation go beyond just the extension of marriage leave duration.

The regulation specifies that national statutory holidays and rest days are not included in marriage leave, and salaries, bonuses, and other welfare benefits during marriage leave will be paid as usual. If an employee chooses to take marriage leave, they should take it within one year from the date of marriage registration. In cases where it is not possible to take marriage leave within a year due to work requirements, the leave can be postponed for up to six months after negotiation between the employer and the employee.

Employees can choose to take the leave all at once or in segments after negotiation with the employer, providing both newlyweds and employers with more flexible scheduling options.