China worker fired for taking long MCs after company finds his 16,000 step count

A man in Jiangsu, China was fired for taking a prolonged sick leave after the company discovered that he had walked 16,000 steps.

The man, who had back pain and foot pain, filed a labour arbitration case against the company.

The authorities ruled in favour of the man and the company was ordered to pay 118,779 yuan (S$21,739) in compensation.

The company then took the man to court but the court ultimately ruled in the man's favour as well.

The details of the case, which happened on Oct. 29, 2019, was posted on an official social media account of the Ministry of Justice, reported South China Morning Post.

Applied for sick leave back to back

The man, surnamed Chen, had already rested for about a month after applying twice for sick leave for a back strain he suffered at work in February and March.

He had provided a hospital diagnosis as evidence.

On his first day back at work however,  he applied for sick leave again, this time for pain in his right foot.

He also provided a doctor’s note advising him to rest for a week.

A week later, he was diagnosed with a heel spur and reportedly prolonged his sick leave for days.

Company fired him

Chen was asked by the company to submit his hospital check-up documents, but when he arrived, he was stopped by a security guard.

Several days later, he was told he was being fired for being absent from work and was accused of lying about his health condition.

He was also shown chat software records which showed he had taken more than 16,000 steps on the day he applied for sick leave for his foot pain.

Labour arbitration case

Chen later filed a labour arbitration case against the company, which ruled in his favour.

The company was ordered to pay him 118,779 yuan (S$21,739) in compensation.

Not satisfied, the company then took Chen to court.

During the two trials, it presented evidence in the form of surveillance footage showing Chen running towards the company on the day he applied for sick leave for his foot pain.

It also provided a chat software record showing Chen's 16,000 step count that day.

Chen, meanwhile, argued that these evidences were not valid and that he had shown comprehensive hospital records, including medical scans of his waist and foot.

The court ultimately ruled in his favour and the company was made to compensate Chen on the grounds of illegal termination.

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