Beijing City raised its monthly unemployment insurance payment threshold by 80 yuan (about US$11) on Tuesday.

It is the ninth adjustment since Beijing introduced unemployment insurance system in November 1999, according to a spokeswoman with the municipal labor and social security department.

There are five categories of payment based on the length of years in prior contribution, with a minimum monthly sum of 502 yuan for the contribution in less than five years, and 611 yuan for the contribution of 20 years and above. After a year's unemployment recipients all get the minimum figure.

The city government also raised medical subsidies for the jobless, and pension for their family members. Farmer-turned contract workers also saw their one-off living allowance go up from 258 yuan to 338 yuan.

Under China's current social security framework, employees are entitled to benefits from five main insurance programs for purposes of pension, unemployment, medical treatment, injury at work, and pre-and-post natal care if the employees are female.

Apart from funding by the government, the social insurance programs also get contributions from both employers and employees, who pay monthly into the funds by varying proportions before the employees' retirement.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2008)