Chinese man wins lawsuit against company who fired him for failing to run 3 miles in 30 mins
July 5, 2023
A Chinese man has won his lawsuit against a manufacturing company for firing him over his failure to finish a 5-kilometer (3.1 miles) race in 30 minutes.
Wrongful termination: The employee, identified as Liu from Suzhou City, Jiangsu province, filed a lawsuit against the Chinese company for wrongful termination. He reportedly applied for a job at the company’s mechanical parts department and went through a series of tests, including a medical exam and practical evaluations of skills like electric welding and gas cutting.
The running test: After being hired as a maintenance worker, he was ordered to participate in a mandatory long-distance running test. His failure to complete a 3-mile run in the allotted 30 minutes would lead to his expulsion.
On the day of the test, Liu, who did not have time to train, reportedly suffered from heat stroke-like symptoms and gave up after running 800 meters under the intense 40°C (104°F) heat.
The next day, he was notified that his failure to complete the run did not meet the company’s “serious work spirit,” leading to his termination.
About the lawsuit: Liu sued the manufacturing company for not informing him about the requirement to pass a physical fitness test before being hired.
The Suzhou Intermediate People’s Court agreed that the termination was illegal, ordering the company to pay more than 7,000 yuan (approximately $966) in compensation.
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