Engineer fired for sitting on the toilet for 4 hours. The reason why the court decided to receive compensation

An engineer in China lost his job after the company found he was spending hours in the office toilet, but a court ruled the measure was excessive and awarded him compensation.

The man suffered from hemorrhoids PHOTO: Shuterstock

The man, surnamed Li, from Jiangsu province, was fired for taking 14 bathroom breaks, the longest lasting four hours, in a month between April and May 2024.

The employer noted that he was not responding to work messages, and after checking surveillance cameras, found that Li was in the office restroom for long periods, according to the South China Morning Post.

The case was recently reported by the Shanghai Federation of Trade Unions after the man sued the company for illegal dismissal of an employment contract.

Before the court, Li explained that he suffers from hemorrhoids and cannot control the length of his visits to the toilet.

Although the engineer produced hemorrhoid medication and medical records, the court found that they covered a period subsequent to the absences and that he did not inform the company or request sick leave as required by the contract.

The court found that the employee should have taken sick leave, but considered the dismissal disproportionate. Thus, Li received compensation of approximately 3,900 euros, taking into account his contribution to the company and the difficulties encountered after losing his job.

This is not the first case of its kind in China. In 2023, another employee in Jiangsu was fired for taking extended bathroom breaks, and the court upheld the company's decision.

In the past, some firms have been criticized for installing counters in bathrooms to limit employee time.