Chinese worker requesting sick leave criticised for being weak and punished

A human resources supervisor in southeastern China triggered widespread public outrage and initiated a government investigation after verbally insulting an employee who requested sick leave for a fever, labelling her “too weak” and suggesting she seek psychiatric help.

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The controversy gained public attention on June 5, when a female employee – whose identity remains undisclosed – shared on social media that she had been verbally abused by her employer after asking for sick leave due to a fever.

The company, Vision Entertainment, founded in 2018 and based in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, operates as a multichannel network service provider in the live-streaming e-commerce industry.

According to her post, she developed a fever of 37.9 degrees Celsius and asked her human resources supervisor, surnamed Huang, for just one hour of sick leave.

In her post, the employee mentioned that she developed a fever of 37.9 degrees Celsius and requested just one hour of sick leave from her HR supervisor. Photo: Shutterstock
In her post, the employee mentioned that she developed a fever of 37.9 degrees Celsius and requested just one hour of sick leave from her HR supervisor. Photo: Shutterstock

Instead of receiving understanding or support, she reported being subjected to nearly two hours of verbal abuse.

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Screenshots of their conversation shared online showed that Huang dismissed her request, stating: “You’re too weak. My goodness, can’t even handle 38 degrees?”

  

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