Policy progression versus institutional obstacles: disabled employees’ experiences of the disability quota scheme in the Chinese public sector

Economic liberalisation and labour market reforms have radically transformed China’s socio-economic landscape. Although awareness of disability equality has improved – particularly following the introduction and enforcement of disability quota schemes – existing research has not yet adequately explored the lived experiences of disabled individuals within these frameworks. This deficiency is especially glaring in the context of public-sector employment, which is often considered a more stable and secure option for workers. Using institutional theory and its three-pillar framework from W.R. Scott’s Institutions and organizations: Ideas, interests, and identities, this paper aims to fill this research gap by investigating key institutional features of public-sector employment, focusing on bianzhi, pre-employment physical examinations and workplace social dynamics. By doing so, it aims to assess the real-world impact of progressive policies such as disability quotas on disabled workers. Our findings indicate that structural institutional barriers continue to impede and marginalise disabled employees in the public-employment sector, underlining the need for a more robust and collaborative strategy to elevate awareness of disability equality in China.