Nurses Fired Over Post About Late Paycheck Wins Damages

Authorities sided with a nurse surnamed Zhang who was fired after she posted on WeChat that she “envied people who get paid on time.” Her employer, a healthcare center in Henan Province, also fired another nurse who liked Zhang’s post. In a statement that Zhang reposted, the company accused her and coworker of libel. The company later told media that although they had fallen behind in payroll, the two employees were fired for poor performance. Zhang argued that she and her colleague have worked at the company for many years without incident. Lawyers said Zhang did not commit libel by telling a truth and her employer had violated China’s labor laws. The local human resource bureau ordered the company to compensate the two nurses for wage arrears and other damages.