- Cui Peijun fired an employee for excluding his mother from his wedding guest list due to her looks
- The employee admitted he feared his mother's appearance would embarrass him at the wedding
- Cui hired the mother at her previous salary to protect her financial independence after firing her son
Cui Peijun, a boss from central China, sparked debate after he revealed that he fired an employee who refused to invite his own mother to his wedding due to her looks, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The founder and chairman of Henan Kuangshan Crane Co. is widely known as "China's most generous boss" for distributing over 180 million yuan ($25 million) in worker bonuses, but his remarks recently drew attention. As per the report, Cui recounted the story during a company internship event, emphasising that moral values are important.
Cui attended the employee's wedding and spotted the groom's widowed mother sitting isolated near a factory instead of participating in the celebration. When questioned, the worker admitted he omitted his mother from the guest list because he feared her appearance would embarrass him.
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Outraged by the response, Cui reminded the man that his mother had raised him alone after his father died when he was two years old. "Your father died when you were two, and this is how you treat your mother?" Cui said as quoted.
Cui dismissed the employee immediately. Although the staff member later returned and pleaded to get his job, Cui stood firm on the termination. "I have no respect for you. I'm sorry, but you must leave," he stated.
To protect the mother's financial independence, Cui subsequently hired her in the firm's logistics department at her previous salary level.
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Social media reactions
The incident has drawn tens of millions of views on social media. It went viral on Chinese social media platforms, dividing the internet. Some supported Cui for his leadership values and management. While others asked whether an employer question an employee's personal morality.
"Someone who cannot love his parents is merely pretending to be kind to others. The company is better off without him," a social media user said as quoted in the report.
"Professional skills can be taught, but gratitude and filial piety are the most fundamental standards of human decency," said another.
Meanwhile, a third user said, "A company may promote certain values, but filial piety is a personal matter. If the employee had executed his duties properly, terminating him may have infringed upon his labour rights."
"In a genuinely civilised society, bosses should not act as moral judges. It is the law that should ensure fairness," another user commented.
