Man gets fired after being spotted traveling while on 'sick leave'

A Chinese man lost his job—along with a 600,000 yuan (nearly P5 million) compensation—after being spotted traveling during his sick leave. 

According to a report by The Straits Times, Beijing court upheld the decision early this month regarding the termination of the employee surnamed Xu, who was caught on a trip during his two-week medical leave. He lost his job in a high-tech company in China after working there for over two decades.

Local news outlet National Business Daily reported that Xu filed a sick leave (SL) in 2019, but his manager rejected his request due to an ongoing project at the time.

Xu again tried to file an SL from July 18 to July 31, which he accompanied with medical certificates to prove that he was suffering from “dizziness and a spinal condition” that required him to be on bed rest for a while. This time, his superior approved his request.

During his medical leave, however, Xu's colleague spotted him at the airport in Hainan and reported him to their team lead.

The latter called Xu and asked where he was during his sick leave, to which he answered that he stayed at home as per the "doctor’s recommendation for bed rest."

"I'm telling you that I was sick and I did not travel. I just recuperated at home," Xu told his manager, who fired him for “fraud and dishonesty” two days later.

His termination sparked a labor dispute, with the labor tribunal ruling that the company must pay Xu some compensation for violating labor laws, which the company appealed.

Xu then filed a counter-appeal, reiterating that he "did not commit dishonesty" because he only went to his "home" in Hainan to take a rest.

The district court in Beijing ended up siding with the company, citing reasons that Xu went against the doctor’s advice by deciding to travel when he was supposed to be on bed rest.