Chinese man fired for walking 16,000 steps during sick leave

A worker in Jiangsu Province has won compensation after being dismissed for allegedly faking illness when step-tracking data showed he had walked more than 16,000 steps while on medical leave.

Sick Leave and Suspicion

The employee, identified only by his surname Chen, initially took sick leave after suffering a back injury that he claimed was work-related. 

After medical treatment and a short recovery period, he returned to his job but soon reported severe pain in his right foot. 

Doctors later diagnosed him with a heel spur and advised him to rest at home.

The company approved the leave at first but grew increasingly suspicious after the leave continued for several days. 

Managers asked Chen to come to the workplace with his medical records, but when he arrived, he was reportedly refused entry by security staff. Within days, the company informed him that he had been fired.

Company Relied on Step Count

The dismissal was based mainly on two pieces of internal evidence. First, company security cameras appeared to show Chen moving quickly toward the office on the day he applied for his second round of sick leave. 

Second, his fitness-tracking app recorded more than 16,000 steps on that same day, a number that managers believed was inconsistent with someone claiming to have difficulty walking.

The company accused him of exaggerating his condition and taking advantage of the leave policy.

Employee Fights Back

Chen rejected the company's allegations. 

He argued that step data alone did not accurately represent his physical state and claimed that many of those steps could have been accumulated simply through normal movement at home. 

He also submitted full medical files, including hospital diagnoses and scans, to support his explanation.

He later filed a complaint with labor arbitration authorities, claiming unfair dismissal and loss of income.

Legal Ruling

Arbitrators ruled in Chen's favor, ordering the company to compensate him for wrongful termination. 

The employer appealed the decision to court, but judges upheld the ruling.

The court found that relying solely on step-tracking information was insufficient evidence of dishonesty. 

Judges noted that high activity numbers do not automatically prove that an employee is healthy, nor do they invalidate medical documents issued by licensed doctors. 

The court also stated that the company failed to demonstrate that Chen's actions met the legal threshold for dismissal.

Broader Impact

The case has sparked public discussion about digital monitoring in the workplace and how employers should interpret personal health data. 

Many have questioned whether step counts, app analytics, or other daily movement tracking should be used as grounds for challenging legitimate medical leave.

Legal observers say the decision may serve as a reminder to companies that employee monitoring technology cannot replace proper investigation, professional medical evaluation, or fair disciplinary procedure.

Source: https://thesun.my/going-viral/man-china-fired-walk-16000-steps-sick-leave/