China’s Supreme Court endorses dismissal for workplace sexual harassment
On 16 December, the Supreme People’s Court of China published its fourth compilation of typical civil cases, clarifying that employers have the legal right to terminate employees found guilty of sexual harassment at work. This ruling marks a significant advancement in protecting workers’ rights and establishing a zero-tolerance policy against harassment.
Source Jiemian
The case involved a worker named Wu, who was employed as a waiter in a food service company in Guangdong province. His contract explicitly prohibited harassment, yet Wu repeatedly exhibited inappropriate behaviour towards female colleagues, corroborated by the testimonies of five employees and video evidence. Although Wu sought compensation after his dismissal, all courts upheld the legality of the termination.
This precedent solidifies the legal framework for combating workplace sexual harassment in China, potentially increasing employer accountability and safeguarding employees in the future.
