Chinese engineer fired due to long toilet breaks: court supports the company.

According to ТСН: In China, an engineer was fired due to frequent trips to the toilet that lasted over an hour, despite his claims of having hemorrhoids.

A man named Li was fired for visiting the toilet 14 times between April and May 2024, with the longest stay lasting four hours.

This situation was recently highlighted by the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions, as Li filed a lawsuit against the company for illegal termination of his employment contract.

Li provided medications for hemorrhoids purchased online, as well as documents about inpatient surgeries performed in January of this year. He then went to court demanding 320,000 yuan (about $45,000) in compensation for wrongful dismissal.

The company presented video recordings from surveillance cameras that confirmed Li's frequent and lengthy visits to the toilet.

The court ruled that the time Li spent in the restroom 'significantly exceeded' his physical needs. Additionally, the medical records he provided covered the period after numerous visits to the toilet. Li did not inform the company about his condition and did not submit a sick leave request, as required by his contract.

After reviewing the surveillance footage, the company decided to terminate Li's employment.

Similar cases in China

This is not the first case in China where employers face issues due to frequent toilet breaks. In 2023, another man was fired for too many visits, with the longest break lasting six hours a day. In that case, the court also supported the company on the same grounds.

Moreover, some Chinese companies have faced criticism for privacy violations by installing timers in restrooms to monitor employee time.

This case raises questions about the balance between employee needs and productivity demands, as well as how companies respond to their employees' medical issues. Such situations spark discussions about workplace behavior norms and the importance of communication between employees and employers.