Chinese Woman Wins Lawsuit After Being Fired For Leaving Work One Minute Early

A Chinese court ruled in favor of a woman fired for leaving work one minute early, calling the dismissal illegal. The case highlights growing scrutiny of unfair labor practices in China.

Chinese Woman Wins Lawsuit After Being Fired for Leaving Work One Minute Early

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In a case that has drawn widespread attention and praise, a Chinese woman has successfully sued her former employer after being dismissed for leaving work one minute early on six occasions within a single month.

The woman, surnamed Wang, had been employed at a company based in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, for three years and reportedly held a "rather good performance record". Earlier this year, she was abruptly fired after a human resources manager informed her that surveillance footage showed she had left her desk 60 seconds before the end of her shift on six different days.

Wang challenged the dismissal, first by lodging a complaint with the local labour rights authority, and then by taking legal action against the unnamed company.

According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the local court ruled in Wang’s favor, declaring her termination illegal. "The court cleared that Ms Wang knocking off one minute from her work schedule did not amount to her 'getting off early'." Furthermore, the court noted that the company had not issued any warning or attempted to correct Wang’s behavior before firing her. "The verdict said that sacking Wang was illegal because it lacked evidence and was not reasonable."

While the amount of compensation Wang is to receive remains unspecified, the ruling underscores the growing scrutiny over labour practices in China and the increasing willingness of courts to protect workers’ rights.

This incident is not isolated. In November last year, a man surnamed Zhang was awarded 350,000 yuan (Rs 41.6 lakh) after being fired for taking a quick nap at work—despite having worked overtime. Zhang had served as a department manager for over 20 years at a chemical company in Taixing, Jiangsu province.

Similarly, in March, a Beijing law firm faced penalties for illegally extending employee working hours without taking corrective action. The rare imposition of fines for such infractions was widely applauded on Chinese social media, signaling a shift in public and legal attitudes toward labour rights.