Chinese Company’s Policy: Single Employees Must Marry Or Be Fired By September

A company in China's Shandong province recently attracted widespread attention after issuing a controversial notice threatening to dismiss single and divorced employees if they remained unmarried by the end of September. The company, Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group Co. Ltd., issued the directive to its 1,200 employees, encouraging them to work hard and start families.

The notice applied to single employees aged between 28 and 58, including those who were divorced. It set a strict timeline: employees were expected to marry by the end of September this year. If they failed to do so, they would have to write a self-criticism letter by the end of March. By June, they would face an "evaluation", and if they were still unmarried by September, they would be dismissed.

According to the company, the policy aimed to promote traditional values such as diligence, kindness, loyalty, and filial piety. However, the notice quickly sparked outrage after it was reported by the South China Morning Post.

As the news spread online, social media users in China condemned the company's decision, accusing it of violating employees' rights. Many argued that corporate rules should not override national laws or social norms. One user remarked, "This crazy company should mind its own business and stay away from employees' personal lives." Others pointed out that Chinese marriage laws protect an individual's right to choose whether or not to marry.

Following public backlash, the local human resources and social security bureau intervened and revoked the company's directive. Officials confirmed that the notice was in violation of labour laws and ordered its immediate withdrawal.

The company later confirmed that the policy had been scrapped. A representative admitted that while the company intended to encourage older unmarried employees to focus on their personal lives, the approach was too rigid. The company pledged to strengthen its internal management, review labour laws more carefully, and ensure such incidents do not happen again.