A former manager at Procter & Gamble (P&G) is suing the company's mainland operation in what observers say is the first lawsuit against a foreign venture by a local citizen in which a foreign employee has been highlighted.
The former manager, named Zhou, is suing P&G for 400,000 yuan (about HK$372,320) for psychological damage and invasion of privacy, the Legal Daily reported yesterday.
Mr Zhou started working for P&G at its Guangzhou operation in 1993 and rose to the position of brand manager in the marketing department, the daily said.
In February, Mr Zhou allegedly began receiving psychological abuse and criticism from his manager, an American woman, the daily said, and he resigned on March 5.
In the lawsuit, Mr Zhou alleged the manager forced open his personal drawer and accessed his computer to obtain private information. He said these actions infringed upon his privacy.
Mr Zhou said he wanted compensation, explaining that foreign managers in joint ventures commonly look down on mainland staff and that he wanted, through this case, to improve the protection of employees' rights.