Simran Joshi
A 20-year-long career came to an abrupt end for Zhang, a department head at a chemical company in Jiangsu, China, after he was fired for napping at his desk. Exhausted from working late the previous night, Zhang’s brief rest was caught on CCTV, leading to his dismissal for violating company policies. However, the incident took a legal turn when Zhang challenged the decision, ultimately securing a ₹40.78 lakh compensation through a lawsuit.
Zhang Decades of Service and the Incident That Led to His Removal
Zhang was one of those devoted employees who had been working for more than 20 years for a chemical company in Jiangsu Province, China. They said he worked hard for his job. Being in charge of a whole department, his responsibilities sometimes required long hours and huge dedication. Earlier this year, Zhang worked late into the night and found himself driving until the wee hours. Exhausted, he dozed off behind his desk the next day, unaware that the CCTV cameras in the office had captured the episode.
Two weeks after the incident, the company’s human resources department drew the matter to Zhang’s superiors. When HR questioned Zhang, he admitted to sleeping for close to an hour. The company did not budge on its decision. In fact, it issued a dismissal notice saying, “Your actions sleeping at work seriously violate the company’s zero-tolerance principle.”
Legal Struggle and ₹40.78 Lakh Compensation
Zhang decided to take the case of his termination into court after his dismissal. Citing that his actions were not justifiable for dismissals based on years of dedicated and faithful service, Zhang brought his case against the chemical company. His case presented the circumstance in which he was exhausted, pointing out that it could not be described as a result of careless behavior.
The court finally ruled in favor of Zhang by ruling that his dismissal was not proportionate to the alleged misconduct. The company was thus ordered to pay Zhang ₹40.78 lakh as compensation. This judgment not only restored Zhang’s reputation but also generates conversations concerning employee rights and ethical responsibilities of employers, especially concerning long-term staff.
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