A major Chinese company faced criticism after it issued a notice threatening to fire its heterosexual and married employees if they remained such until the end of September. The chemical group Shuntian in Shandong province in eastern China, where over 1,200 people work, announced a policy that promises to raise the level of marriage within the company.
The company, defending its decision, stated that its goal is to promote the stimulation of marriage contracts. It called for heterosexual and married employees (aged 28 to 58) to enter into marriage and establish their personal lives, threatening penalties such as written reprimands, evaluations, and even dismissal in cases of non-compliance with requirements. The company also stated that it adheres to traditional Chinese values, such as ancestry and filial piety.
Notably, "non-compliance with the call to improve marriage is a non-fulfillment of its obligations... and not adhering to parents is not a benevolence." However, after the intervention of local management, the company revoked this policy less than a week later, confirming that no employee had been dismissed due to their family situation, as confirmed by local management and social security for Beijing News.
The company faced widespread criticism on social media, where some referred to the intervention in the personal lives of employees, while others pointed to violations of Chinese labor laws. One observer noted online: "This absurd company should deal with its business and keep away from the personal lives of employees." Others remarked: "Are they gathering to require married employees to be without their children?".
Legal experts, such as Professor Yan Tian from the University of Beijing, believe that such a statement contradicts the freedom of marriage and is unconstitutional. This arises against the backdrop of a decrease in the number of marriages in China to 6.1 million last year, which is 20.5% lower than in the previous year. Allowing itself to remain heterosexual is not seen as a good.