A company in China has been reprimanded by authorities after it introduced a controversial policy threatening to fire employees who remained single by the end of September. The Shuntian Chemical Group, based in Shandong province, implemented the policy in January, aiming to increase the company’s marriage rate, reported the South China Morning Post.
The policy targeted single and divorced employees aged 28 to 58, instructing them to “get married and settle down” by September. Employees who failed to do so by March were required to submit a self-criticism letter, while those still unmarried by June would undergo an evaluation. If they remained single by the deadline, they would be dismissed.
The company justified the policy by endorsing traditional Chinese values such as loyalty and filial piety. In its announcement, it stated, “Not responding to the government’s call to improve the marriage rate is disloyal. Not listening to your parents is not filial. Letting yourself be single is not benevolent. Failing your colleagues’ expectations is unjust.”
Backlash
Following public outcry, the local human resources and social security bureau inspected the company on February 13. Within a day, the company withdrew the policy and confirmed that no employees had been fired due to their marital status.
Legal experts criticised the policy as unconstitutional. Yan Tian, an associate professor at Peking University Law School, told The Beijing News that it violated the freedom of marriage. He also noted that under China’s labor laws, companies are not allowed to ask job applicants about their marriage or childbirth plans, though such practices are still common. A government official also confirmed that the policy breached China’s Labour Law and Labour Contract Law.
The company’s announcement sparked heated discussion online. One user commented, “This crazy company should mind its own business and stay away from the personal lives of employees.” Another added, “Let them carry out the policy. Those fired can simply apply for arbitration and get a good amount of compensation.” A third questioned, “Will they punish married employees for not having a child?”
The controversy comes amid declining marriage rates in China. Last year, the number of marriages fell to 6.1 million, a 20.5% drop from the previous year’s 7.68 million. Despite this, China recorded 9.54 million newborns in 2024, marking the first increase in birth rates since 2017. However, demographer He Yafu from the YuWa Population Research Institute attributed this rise to families preferring to have children in the Year of the Dragon.
In response to declining marriage rates, some local governments have introduced incentives. In Shanxi province, one city has begun offering a 1,500 yuan (US$200) reward to couples who marry for the first time before the age of 35. Headline: Chinese company withdraws controversial policy threatening to fire single employees
