A company in Jiangsu, eastern China, made headlines in the country after firing one of its employees, an engineer, for taking several excessive toilet breaks at work.
After his termination, the engineer, surnamed Li, took the company to court for illegal termination of an employment contract, with the legal battle being reported recently by the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions.
For illustration purposes
An engineer in eastern China was fired for taking many bathroom breaks that lasted as long as 4 hours
According to SCMP, Li was fired by the company for taking 14 bathroom breaks between April and May 2024, the longest of which lasted 4 hours.
The former employee had joined the company in 2010 and renewed an open-term contract in 2014.
For illustration purposes
In his legal suit against the company, Li sought CNY320,000 (~RM185,919) in compensation for what he believed to be illegal termination of his employment contract.
In court, he showed haemorrhoid medicine his partner bought online for him in May and June 2024, as well as his inpatient surgery records from January 2025.
The company then countered Li’s claims by submitting surveillance footage showing Li’s frequent and long visits to the bathroom while working at the company.
For illustration purposes
The court was also told that the company reviewed the surveillance footage and asked for the labour union’s permission before firing Li.
The company had also contacted Li via a chat app when noticing his disappearance at work, but received no replies despite his position requiring him to always respond to work requests.
The court’s decision on the case
The court then sided with the company, deeming that Li’s bathroom breaks “greatly exceeded” his physical needs.
Furthermore, the court found that the medical records Li submitted covered a period after he had taken many bathroom breaks.
For illustration purposes
He had also failed to notify the company about his condition or apply for sick leave in advance, as required by his employment contract.
His contract stated that leaving one’s post for a certain period of time without permission is considered absence, and immediate contract termination will be enforced on those who are absent for a total of 3 working days in 180 days.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for Li. After two trials, the court ultimately mediated the two parties.
The court also persuaded the company to settle the case by providing Li with an allowance of CNY30,000 (~RM17,429) for his contribution to the company and his difficulty due to unemployment.
So, what do you guys think of this case? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: Chinese Company Fires Employee Because App Shows He Walked Over 16,000 Steps During Sick Leave
