The court ruled in favor of the company and dismissed the claims.
The recordings included messages such as “I love you” and “I want to look at you all the time.” After this, Liu asked for leave to discuss personal matters and Chen’s husband confronted the couple at the workplace. Despite the warnings, the romantic relationship between Liu and Chen continued and they were again seen kissing at work.
In October 2020, a coworker confronted Chen about his behavior, leading to a disagreement. The incident prompted seven colleagues to send a joint letter to the general manager, expressing their concern about the situation. As a result, the company fired Liu and Chen, citing violations of the employee handbook and company rules.
Liu and Chen filed separate lawsuits against their former employer. Chen is seeking 26,000 yuan (about Rs 300,000) in damages, while Liu, who held a higher position, is seeking more than 230,000 yuan (about Rs 270,000) in damages.
The company defended its decision to fire its employees, citing its employee handbook, which allows for dismissal for conduct deemed unethical. The handbook clearly states that it has “the right to terminate employment with employees who are morally corrupt, tarnish the reputation of the company and exert a negative influence on the company.”
The court ultimately ruled in favor of the company, dismissing the lawsuits filed by Liu and Chen.
On social media, the incident sparked widespread debate, with many users criticising the employees' behaviour. One user wrote: “They obviously didn't work hard enough if they had the energy to find their colleagues attractive.”
Another commented: “It would be a shame if the company was sued.”
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