In an unusual labour dispute, a court in Jiangsu province, China, has ruled in favour of an employee who was dismissed for sleeping on the job. The court awarded him 3,50,000 yuan (approximately Rs 41 lakh) in compensation. The case involved Zhang, a department manager at a chemical firm in Taixing, who had been with the company for two decades.
Zhang’s dismissal followed surveillance footage that captured him napping for an hour at work earlier this year. The company’s HR department documented the incident, with Zhang admitting in an internal WeChat group that he had been “caught sleeping at work due to exhaustion.”
Citing this as a serious breach of its zero-tolerance disciplinary policy, the company terminated Zhang’s employment. A formal notice acknowledged his 20 years of service but emphasised that his conduct warranted dismissal.
Unconvinced by the decision, Zhang contested his dismissal in court, arguing that the punishment was disproportionate. He highlighted his long service, clean record, and positive performance history as mitigating factors.
The Taixing People’s Court examined the company’s policies, Zhang’s employment history, and the circumstances of the violation. Judge Ju Qi noted that while companies have the legal right to enforce rules and dismiss employees for infractions, such actions must align with proportionality and fairness.
The court found that Zhang’s sleeping on the job was a first-time offence and did not cause any significant harm to the company. Additionally, his two-decade-long tenure, history of promotions, and consistent performance were considered in the verdict.
The court determined that Zhang’s dismissal was both unjustified and unreasonable. It ordered the chemical firm to pay Zhang 3,50,000 yuan as compensation for wrongful termination.
This ruling underscores the importance of proportionality in disciplinary actions and highlights the legal safeguards in place for employees. While companies are entitled to enforce strict workplace policies, courts may intervene if such policies are applied excessively or without due consideration of individual circumstances.
