Foot Pain, 16,000 Steps, and a Fired Job: The Unbelievable Case

A man took leave from his office citing foot pain. However, the company later discovered that on the very day he was on leave, he had walked 16,000 steps! As a result, the company fired him. The worker then filed a lawsuit against the company and won. This unusual incident took place in Jiangsu province, China.

The man, named Chen, had requested sick leave twice in February 2019. The first time, he took leave for back pain and submitted a doctor’s prescription to get the leave approved. After resting for a month, he returned to work but, after half a day’s work, applied for sick leave again, this time citing foot pain. His doctor had advised him to rest for a week.

Later, it was discovered that he had a bone spur in his ankle. He used this as a reason to extend his leave for a few more days. However, after a long absence, the company asked him to submit medical documents. When he arrived at the office, security personnel stopped him from entering, and soon after, the company dismissed him, accusing him of providing false information about his health condition.

After losing his job, Chen filed a complaint with the labor court. He argued that his leave was legitimate and that he had provided all the necessary medical proof. After an investigation, the court ruled in his favor and ordered the company to pay him a compensation of 118,779 yuan (about 14.8 lakh rupees).

However, the company then presented new evidence in court. They showed CCTV footage where Chen could be seen running around the office on the very day he took sick leave for his foot pain. They also submitted records from a chat app, showing that he had walked over 16,000 steps that day.

Chen countered that the company’s evidence was baseless. He presented all his medical reports, including scans of his back and foot, to support his claims.

In the end, the court ruled in Chen’s favor, stating that the company had unlawfully terminated his employment. The company was ordered to pay him compensation in two installments.