Employee Sacked for Not Attending Office Dinner

An employee in China faced dismissal from their company for declining to participate in an annual office dinner. The issue arose when management invited staff to the event, but the employee refused, citing unfinished work amid a heavy workload. Management viewed this refusal as a lack of respect for superiors. The day after the refusal, the company issued a termination letter, classifying it as a serious disciplinary violation due to alleged defiance of orders and unauthorised absence. Dissatisfied with the decision, the employee filed a claim through labour arbitration, which led to a protracted legal process involving arbitration, a first-instance court ruling, and mediation at the appeal level. Ultimately, the court deemed the dismissal unlawful, finding that the company lacked a strong legal basis for the termination, and ordered the payment of a specified compensation amount. The Shenzhen Workers’ Union commented on the controversy, stating that annual meetings or office dinners are not work obligations but voluntary activities. Therefore, companies have no right to impose sanctions on employees for opting out of such events, let alone dismiss them.