Company draws ire for rules on adultery

A company threatening to fire any employee involved in extramarital affairs has caused an uproar online.

The company, based in Yueqing, Zhejiang province, said in a notice to employees on June 9 any married employee will be fired if they were found to have "cheated, engaged in extramarital affairs or kept a mistress".

After a screenshot of the document went viral online, the company confirmed the authenticity of the terms to Jimu News, a news outlet based in Hubei province, saying it was meant to promote "harmonious and stable" relationships among its employees "so their work would not be affected".

No employee has been found to have violated the rules, the company added. Human resources and social security inspectors in Yueqing also told Jimu they have not received any complaints regarding the rule.

Chen Dong, a lawyer at the Shanghai-based V&T Law Firm, told Jimu News the Labor Contract Law clearly states occasions when labor contracts can be terminated, saying even if employers include cheating and extramarital affairs into their rules, they don't constitute a legal basis for terminating contracts.

"We encourage employers to promote correct values, but they can't use these as a reason to infringe upon laborers' rights," Chen said, adding anyone fired in this scenario can protect their rights.