Single Chinese women over 30 get ‘love leave’ to find partner – media

Unmarried women over 30 have been offered extra time off by their employers in eastern China, during one of the longest public holiday periods, in order to give them an opportunity to date, according to local media reports.

Two companies operating one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region, Songcheng theme park in Hangzhou, which is dedicated to the heritage of the Song dynasty, made an unusual “present” for its single female staff nearly a fortnight before Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival.

Instead of the week-long break from 4-10 February, which the rest of the country is given, women over 30 will enjoy additional “dating leave,” extending their time off to 15 days. The vacation can be extended even further, according to local media citing the companies’ documents.

Moreover, a woman’s effort to use the time for finding love can really pay off. If she manages to get married before the end of 2019, the company will reportedly give her a salary bonus.

Female workers were pleased to receive the additional break, according human resources manager of Hangzhou Songcheng Performance, Huang Lei. He told the Zhejiang Online outlet that the number of men and women in his company is almost equal, but female employees “have less contact with the outside world” so the company came up with the idea to “give them more time and opportunities to be in contact with the opposite sex.” The firm is also considering extending the policy next year.

Earlier this month, a middle school in the same region offered its single and childless teachers to apply for “love leave” twice a month to enjoy life.

Single females over 30 are commonly regarded as “leftover women” in China as it is believed that after 25 they have less chance of attracting men’s attention and marrying. At the same time, more and more Chinese women tend to put off marriage to focus on their careers.

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