Any agreement between employer and employee — or any undertaking by the employee — that social insurance contributions need not be paid shall be held void by the people's courts.

Where the employer has failed to pay social insurance contributions in accordance with law, and the employee terminates the labor contract under Article 38(1)(iii) of the Labor Contract Law and claims statutory severance from the employer, the courts shall support the claim.

(Practical notes: ① Even if you "voluntarily" signed a waiver, or took a cash allowance instead of insurance, the deal is void; ② if your employer is not paying social insurance, you may terminate by written notice and claim severance of one month's wage per year of service (N); ③ before resigning, secure evidence: your contract, salary records, and your social-insurance payment record (check via the local social-insurance app or service hall); ④ you can also demand back-payment through the social-insurance collection agency. Foreign employees working in China must be enrolled too — see Article 97 of the Social Insurance Law.)

用人单位与劳动者约定或者劳动者向用人单位承诺无需缴纳社会保险费的，人民法院应当认定该约定或者承诺无效。

用人单位未依法缴纳社会保险费，劳动者根据劳动合同法第三十八条第一款第三项规定请求解除劳动合同、由用人单位支付经济补偿的，人民法院依法予以支持。

（实务提示：①即使你当初"自愿"签了放弃社保协议、或以社保补贴形式折现，该约定一律无效；②公司未依法缴社保的，你可以书面通知解除劳动合同，并主张每工作满一年支付一个月工资的经济补偿（N）；③解除前先固定证据：劳动合同、工资流水、社保缴费记录（可在"随申办/我的南京"等App或社保经办机构查询）；④要求补缴的，可向社保费征收机构投诉。外籍员工在华就业同样应当参加社会保险——见《社会保险法》第97条。）