A Chinese court has confirmed the lawful termination of an engineer from Jiangsu Province after determining that his repeated extended toilet breaks constituted unauthorized absences from work.
Between April and May 2024, Li took bathroom trips 14 times, each lasting more than one hour. The longest single break totaled four hours. The employer terminated his employment contract based on these incidents.
Li filed a lawsuit claiming unlawful dismissal and demanding compensation of 320,000 yuan (approximately $45,000). As evidence, he presented hemorrhoid medications purchased in spring 2024 and surgical documents from January 2025.
However, the court found that the medical certificates pertained to a later period than the breaks occurred and did not substantiate the need for such prolonged absences during work hours. Li also failed to notify his employer of health issues or issue sick leave as required by their employment agreement.
The company provided CCTV footage and communication records showing Li’s absence from work and his lack of response to work-related messages. The court concluded that the time spent in the toilet “significantly exceeded his physiological needs.” Following two rounds of proceedings, the parties settled with the company paying Li 30,000 yuan (approximately $4,500), accounting for his seniority and post-termination challenges.
