- A Chinese man was fired after his boss found he walked 16,000 steps on sick leave
- Chen applied for sick leave twice in 2019 due to back strain and heel spur pain
- The company fired Chen for absenteeism, accusing him of misrepresenting his illness
A Chinese man was fired from his job after his boss discovered he had walked 16,000 steps while on sick leave for foot pain. The man, identified as Chen, worked at a company in eastern China's Jiangsu province in 2019 when he took the leave, leading to a long-drawn legal battle that culminated this month.
In February 2019, Chen twice applied for sick leave, owing to a back strain he suffered at work. He even provided a hospital diagnosis as evidence and managed to get his application approved, according to a report in South China Morning Post.
Having rested for a month, Chen returned to work but immediately applied for another round of sick leave after half a day, this time for pain in his right foot -- with a doctor's note advising him to rest for a week. After being diagnosed with a heel spur, Chen prolonged his sick leave for days.
Owing to the extended period out of work, the company asked Chen to visit the company to submit his hospital documents. When he reached the office, the security did not allow him to enter. A few days later, the company fired Chen for absenteeism, alleging he had misrepresented his medical condition.
Also Read | Canadian Judge Rules Man Accused Of Sharing Fake Nude Image Of Wife Did Not Commit Crime
Court Trial
Subsequently, Chen initiated a labour arbitration case in response, claiming his leave was validly supported by medical documentation. Following an investigation, authorities ruled in his favour and ordered the company to pay 118,779 yuan (approximately Rs 14.8 lakh) in compensation.
"The company then took Chen to court. It presented surveillance footage showing Chen running towards the company on the day he applied for sick leave for foot pain. It also provided a chat software record showing Chen walked more than 16,000 steps on that day," the report highlighted.
Chen claimed that the company's evidence was not valid and that he had included comprehensive hospital records, including medical scans of his waist and foot. The court in its judgment ordered the company to compensate Chen for the two trials, on the grounds that they had dismissed him illegally.
