Archive · 11 Nov 2025
Chinese Man Fired for Faking Sick Leave After Walking 16,000 Steps
Imagine a man named Chen got hurt at work and needed to take time off, first for his back and then for his foot.
His company saw that on one of his sick days, he walked a lot, over 16,000 steps, and thought he was pretending to be sick.
So, they fired him for lying.
But Chen said he really was injured and had doctor's notes to prove it.
He took his company to court.
The court looked at the evidence from both sides.
They decided that the company was wrong to fire Chen based just on the steps he walked, especially since he had medical documents.
Because they fired him unfairly, the company had to pay Chen a lot of money for the trouble.
A Chinese man, Chen, was fired by his company for allegedly faking a foot injury while on sick leave.
The company used surveillance footage showing Chen walking 16,000 steps on a sick day as evidence of his alleged deception.
Chen claimed his sick leave was legitimate, supported by medical documents for both back and foot injuries.
Labor arbitration and subsequent court hearings ruled that Chen's dismissal was unlawful.
Chen was awarded approximately 118,779 yuan (about Rs 14.8 lakh) in compensation for wrongful termination.
- Who
- A Chinese employee named Chen
- What
- Was fired by his company for allegedly faking a foot injury during sick leave, but later won a case for wrongful termination.
- When
- The events occurred in early 2019, with a court ruling made after labor arbitration and subsequent hearings.
- Where
- Jiangsu province, China
- Why
- The company suspected Chen of faking his foot injury after discovering he had walked over 16,000 steps on sick leave. However, a court found the dismissal to be unlawful, citing Chen's provided medical documents and the company's insufficient evidence.
Employee's Stance (Chen)
Company's Stance
Validity of Sick Leave
Employee's Stance (Chen)
Chen provided medical documents for his back and foot injuries and stated the company's evidence was out of context.
Company's Stance
The company believed Chen faked his foot injury because surveillance footage showed him walking 16,000 steps on the day he reported pain.
Reason for Dismissal
Employee's Stance (Chen)
Chen was wrongfully terminated and sought compensation.
Company's Stance
The company fired Chen for absenteeism and allegedly misrepresenting his medical condition.
- Employee
- Chen (surname)
- Location
- Jiangsu province, China
- Initial Sick Leave
- February 2019 for back strain from work
- Second Sick Leave Request
- For foot pain (heel spur) after half a day back at work
- Company's Evidence
- Surveillance footage and chat software record showing over 16,000 steps walked on sick leave day
- Legal Outcome
- Labor arbitration and court ruled dismissal unlawful; Chen awarded compensation.
- Compensation Amount
- 118,779 yuan (approx. Rs 14.8 lakh)
