‘Trampling on dignity’: Chinese boss pays US$1,400 staff compensation in coins then fined again for being ‘disrespectful’
- A firm fined for illegally sacking an employee and ordered to pay compensation is in trouble again after paying the fine in 60kg of loose change
- A court has now fined the firm a further 5,000 yuan (US$700) for the loose change stunt, accusing it of disrespect and wasting public resources
A Chinese company ordered to pay 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) compensation to a worker it illegally sacked has been fined again for paying the amount in loose change, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported on Monday.
The employer, an unnamed health and wellness provider in Hunan province, southern China, paid the money earlier this month with coins it deliberately changed from banknotes in larger denominations, which weighed over 60kg, the report said, citing a decision from the Kaifu District People’s Court.
The former employee, with the help of a court official, had to count the coins one by one before the court could record the payment on September 14.
As a result the court imposed an additional fine of 5,000 yuan on the company for “trampling on the dignity of workers” and “wasting the resources of law enforcement”.
The unidentified female employee was fired without reason after just two weeks at the company in May.
She took the firm to court and it was ordered to pay her 10,000 yuan in compensation, but it failed to make payment within the time limit set by the court.