Refer China: 26yo Employee at Famous Institution Died at Work,School Responds

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26-Year-Old Employee at a Renowned Training Institution Died at Work, Company Responds

Previous Reports

On April 23, the sudden death of an employee from Yuanfudao's Wuhan office became widely discussed on the internet, sparking considerable public attention. An employee revealed that on that day, they received a company notice stating that employees would be off for the day due to a "network failure," which meant they were not expected to report to work.

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Sources close to the situation shared that emergency vehicles, including police cars, ambulances, and hearses, were seen outside the building.

The employee, Mr. Li, had graduated from a well-known university in Wuhan in 2020 and joined Yuanfudao. He had recently gotten married and had planned to marry his fiancée on May 2nd.

Reports from Fengmian News revealed that on April 22, Mr. Li had gone to work, and during the evening overtime, he stopped responding to messages from his fiancée. After she alerted the authorities, police accompanied her to the office, but due to access restrictions on the company's floors, they were unable to enter Mr. Li's office. The next morning, a cleaner discovered Mr. Li in his office, where he had passed away.

Official Investigation Updates

On April 24, the Wuhan Public Security Bureau responded by confirming that the death did occur but that specific details would only be shared with Mr. Li's family. The death will be subject to an investigation and approval to determine if it is considered work-related.

This is not the first time Yuanfudao's Wuhan office has faced scrutiny over management practices. In 2023, the company was criticized for its strict management policies, including long hours (working overtime for more than six hours a day) and mandatory reporting for personal tasks like meals and restroom breaks. In response to these reports, Yuanfudao clarified that the management policies were not as severe as some reports suggested and that they were planning to hire more staff to alleviate the workload on existing employees.

Company Confirms

On the morning of April 25, Yuanfudao responded to the tragic news of the sudden death of an employee at their Wuhan office. The statement was as follows:

"On April 23, an unfortunate incident occurred where an employee, Mr. Li, passed away unexpectedly. We are deeply saddened by this loss, and our thoughts are with Mr. Li's family during this difficult time.

Mr. Li had been a dedicated and responsible employee at our company for the past five years. He was known for his professionalism, strong work ethic, and consistent performance.

At the time of the incident, Mr. Li was on his scheduled off day as part of a rest period for the Wuhan office. His team was not scheduled for overtime that day. Upon receiving the news, we immediately formed a special task force to support his family and handle the necessary procedures. Our management team has been with Mr. Li's family, providing support throughout this difficult time. (...)"

However, the company's explanation has not been well-received by the public. Many netizens have raised doubts, questioning, "If the team wasn't scheduled for overtime, why did the employee die at the office?" Some have sarcastically commented, "Did he die from voluntary overtime?", "April 23 was a Wednesday. The reasoning seems far-fetched."

We wish Mr. Li's family strength and peace as they cope with this heartbreaking loss.

Source: 济南时报, 中国青年报, 封面新闻