China engineer fired after taking hours-long bathroom breaks at work

The incident occurred in 2024, when Li, who had worked at the company since 2010, frequently disappeared during working hours between April and May. The company attempted to contact him via a chat app, but he did not respond promptly.

Upon reviewing surveillance footage, the company found that Li had taken 14 bathroom breaks lasting over an hour each during the month, with one break lasting as long as four hours, the South China Morning Post reported.

Although Li provided medical records indicating his haemorrhoid condition and the medication he was taking, the company decided to terminate his contract with approval from the labor union.

A man works in a bathroom. Photo from Pexels

Li contested the decision and sued the company for 320,000 yuan (US$45,000) in compensation for unlawful termination. The company submitted surveillance footage to support its case, pointing out that the medical records Li provided only covered a period after the long bathroom breaks. Additionally, he failed to notify his employer of his condition or apply for sick leave in advance, as required by his contract.

The court ruled that the time he spent in the bathroom "greatly exceeded" his physical needs. After two rounds of trials, the court mediated a settlement, persuading the company to pay Li 30,000 yuan in recognition of his long tenure and the financial difficulties he faced due to unemployment.

Under China's Labor Law, employees are entitled to sanitary protection, including reasonable access to bathroom facilities during working hours.

"I would fire him if I were the company boss," said one online observer, while another commented that they would be "deeply disturbed" to be his colleague, as his extended absences meant they would have to cover his work.