When an employee in China took sick leave citing severe foot pain, his company hardly expected him to be clocking more than 16,000 steps the very same day. The revelation, uncovered through company surveillance and chat app data, sparked not only disbelief but also a national debate on the boundaries of employee monitoring and labour rights.
According to a report from South China Morning Post, the case, which dates back to 2019 in Jiangsu province, resurfaced after China’s Ministry of Justice shared its details on its official social media account in late October, reigniting public discussion.
From back pain to foot trouble
The man, identified only by his surname Chen, had earlier applied for two rounds of sick leave for a back strain sustained at work. Each time, he provided legitimate hospital certificates. But in his third instance, things took an unexpected turn.
After working for half a day, Chen requested another week off — this time citing pain in his right foot, supported by a doctor’s note advising rest. A week later, a hospital confirmed that he had a heel spur, a painful foot condition that often requires limited movement.
Chen subsequently extended his medical leave. However, when his company asked him to personally submit his medical documents, he complied — only to be stopped at the gate by a security guard. Days later, he was informed that he had been terminated for allegedly lying about his health and being absent without proper reason.
Surveillance steps into the picture
The company didn’t stop there. When Chen challenged the dismissal through a labour arbitration, management countered with striking evidence — surveillance footage showing him running toward the company building on the very day he applied for leave, and chat software records revealing he had taken more than 16,000 steps that day.
To them, this proved Chen’s condition was exaggerated, if not fabricated. But Chen stood firm, claiming the data was irrelevant and misleading, arguing that he had provided comprehensive medical records including diagnostic scans of both his waist and foot.
The court’s surprising verdict
After two rounds of legal hearings, the court ruled in Chen’s favour, declaring that the company had illegally terminated his employment. It ordered the employer to pay him 118,779 yuan (about Rs 14,70,000) in compensation.
Investigators concluded that while the company’s evidence showed movement, it failed to establish that Chen’s physical activity contradicted his medical diagnosis. The Ministry of Justice cited the case as a reminder that labour law protects employees from unfair dismissal, even when companies believe they have caught wrongdoing through technology.
The case has triggered strong reactions online, with many Chinese netizens debating where to draw the line between monitoring employee behaviour and respecting personal privacy. While some sympathised with the company’s frustration, others argued that illness doesn’t always mean immobility and that employees shouldn’t have to prove their pain by staying home completely still.
According to a report from South China Morning Post, the case, which dates back to 2019 in Jiangsu province, resurfaced after China’s Ministry of Justice shared its details on its official social media account in late October, reigniting public discussion.
From back pain to foot trouble
The man, identified only by his surname Chen, had earlier applied for two rounds of sick leave for a back strain sustained at work. Each time, he provided legitimate hospital certificates. But in his third instance, things took an unexpected turn.
After working for half a day, Chen requested another week off — this time citing pain in his right foot, supported by a doctor’s note advising rest. A week later, a hospital confirmed that he had a heel spur, a painful foot condition that often requires limited movement.
Chen subsequently extended his medical leave. However, when his company asked him to personally submit his medical documents, he complied — only to be stopped at the gate by a security guard. Days later, he was informed that he had been terminated for allegedly lying about his health and being absent without proper reason.
Surveillance steps into the picture
The company didn’t stop there. When Chen challenged the dismissal through a labour arbitration, management countered with striking evidence — surveillance footage showing him running toward the company building on the very day he applied for leave, and chat software records revealing he had taken more than 16,000 steps that day.
To them, this proved Chen’s condition was exaggerated, if not fabricated. But Chen stood firm, claiming the data was irrelevant and misleading, arguing that he had provided comprehensive medical records including diagnostic scans of both his waist and foot.
The court’s surprising verdict
After two rounds of legal hearings, the court ruled in Chen’s favour, declaring that the company had illegally terminated his employment. It ordered the employer to pay him 118,779 yuan (about Rs 14,70,000) in compensation.
Investigators concluded that while the company’s evidence showed movement, it failed to establish that Chen’s physical activity contradicted his medical diagnosis. The Ministry of Justice cited the case as a reminder that labour law protects employees from unfair dismissal, even when companies believe they have caught wrongdoing through technology.
The case has triggered strong reactions online, with many Chinese netizens debating where to draw the line between monitoring employee behaviour and respecting personal privacy. While some sympathised with the company’s frustration, others argued that illness doesn’t always mean immobility and that employees shouldn’t have to prove their pain by staying home completely still.
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