Employee gets fired when boss finds him walking 16,000 steps during sick leave for foot pain

At court, the company argued that the employee had exaggerated his condition and presented data showing he had walked over 16,000 steps on the day he applied for leave. (AI-generated image)

A Chinese employee who was fired after his company discovered he had walked 16,000 steps while on sick leave for foot pain has won a legal battle against his employer, with a court ruling the dismissal illegal and awarding him 118,779 yuan (about Rs 15 lakh) in compensation. The case, which dates back to 2019, was recently published by China’s Ministry of Justice and has sparked widespread debate about workplace surveillance and employee rights, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

The man, identified only by his surname, Chen, worked at a company in Jiangsu province. He first applied for sick leave in February and March 2019, citing a back strain sustained at work. After submitting hospital documents and resting for a month, he returned to work but applied for another round of sick leave after half a day, this time for pain in his right foot. A doctor’s note advised him to rest for a week.

Heel spur diagnosis and extended sick leave 

A week later, Chen was diagnosed with a heel spur and extended his sick leave. When asked to visit the office to submit updated medical records, he was stopped by a security guard. Days later, the company fired him, citing absenteeism and dishonesty. It claimed Chen had exaggerated his condition and presented data showing he had walked over 16,000 steps on the day he applied for leave.

Legal battle and court ruling

Chen filed a labour arbitration case, and authorities ruled in his favour, ordering the company to compensate him. The company then took the matter to court, presenting surveillance footage of Chen running towards the office and chat software records showing his step count. Chen argued that the evidence was invalid and that he had submitted comprehensive hospital records, including medical scans of his waist and foot.

After two trials, the court ruled that the company had dismissed Chen illegally and upheld the compensation order.

Public backlash over surveillance and privacy

The case has triggered heated discussion online, with many users criticising the company’s actions. “It is normal for the app to record a large number of steps even if the user does not walk so much. Even if he really walked 16,000 steps, that is possible if he went to the hospital or bought medicine,” SCMP quoted one social media user as saying. Another added, “The company does not have the right to check the private data of their employees, such as number of steps, let alone firing them for it.”