The situation: A worker starts on a verbal agreement with a promise to sign 'later,' but five months pass with no contract, then a pay dispute erupts.
Applicable law: The Labor Contract Law requires a written contract within one month of starting. If the employer delays beyond one month and up to a year, the worker is owed double wages (200%) for each month without a contract. After a full year without one, the contract is automatically treated as open-ended.
Outcome: Through labor arbitration the worker claimed double wages for four months (from the second to the fifth) and won, because the employment relationship was proven by payroll and attendance records.
👷 Labour disputes · Awareness case
No Written Contract — The Company Pays Double · Yalla China
🤝 Governing law: 劳动合同法 / Labor Contract Law
You worked months with no paper contract — what does the law give you?
Illustrative, general educational examples — not real specific facts and not legal advice; for awareness only. For an actual situation, consult a licensed lawyer.
🎓 The lesson / takeaway
Lesson: The absence of a written contract punishes the company, not the worker. Don't wait — every month past the first without a signature builds your claim to double pay.
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026