China woman fired due to husband’s rival firm job receives US$101,000 for unjust dismissal

Company alleges potential sabotage in counter lawsuit but fails as court rules there is no evidence that woman passed secrets to her man

A Shanghai company has been ordered to pay a woman employee 690,000 yuan (US$101,000) for illegally firing her because her husband works for a rival firm.

Xuhui District People’s Court made the ruling in Shanghai in late April, the Yangtze Evening News reported.

The woman, surnamed Liu, started working at the company in 2006. The firm’s name was not disclosed in the report, only that it operates in the property management industry.

At the end of 2023, Liu received a notice from her employer telling her that they had decided to terminate her labour contract because her spouse works as the general manager of a rival company.

Her employer said this had brought “adverse effects” to the company.