Woman fired for leaving work one minute early sues employer: ‘This is relentless…’ | Trending

A woman in southern China was terminated from her job for leaving work just one minute early on six separate days in a month. She took the matter to the courts and won the lawsuit against her employer, reported the South China Morning Post. The court ruled in favour of the woman. (Pexel) The woman, identified her surname Wang, had been employed for three years at a company based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. She said she had maintained “a rather good performance record” throughout her time there. Also read: 22-year-old terminal cancer patient maxes out credit cards to enjoy last days: ‘Debt will die with me’ Her termination came after a call from the company’s HR manager, who informed her that surveillance footage showed she had left her desk slightly ahead of schedule on six occasions. Wang decided to file a complaint with the local labour authority and also took legal action. According to a recent ruling a local court, the dismissal was deemed illegal. The court stated that although Wang did leave work one minute early, this did not amount to “getting off early” in a meaningful sense. The company had not given her any warning or asked her to correct the behaviour, which made the sudden termination unjustified. The court ordered the company—whose name has not been disclosed—to compensate Wang, though the exact amount was not revealed. Typically, compensation in such cases could range between ₹1.5 lakh to ₹4 lakh, depending on local labour laws and salary structures. Also read: Indian-origin CEO posts about employee’s ‘3rd all nighter,’ internet urges better work-life balance Liu Biyun, a lawyer from Guangzhou Laixin Law Firm, told the media that dismissing an employee over such a minor issue was excessive. “Firing an employee under such circumstances was a stern punishment,” Liu said. Internet reactsThe case has sparked heated debate on Chinese social platforms, with many criticising overbearing workplace rules. “Why did the company not offer subsidies to employees who come to work earlier?” one online user asked. “This relentless company should be punished,” said another. This isn’t the first time workplace policies have come under fire in China. In March, a company in Anhui province drew criticism for implementing “prison-style” rules, which included banning mobile phone use and forbidding staff from leaving the premises during working hours.