Hundreds of employees have accused a Chinese company of orchestrating a fraudulent scheme to involve them in illegal activities with the intent of firing them without paying severance packages.
The Wuhan CITIC Design Institute, based in Wuhan city in central China’s Hubei province, is at the center of a major scandal after local media reported that the company dismissed 200 senior employees after accusing them of crimes they were allegedly lured into by a top manager.
According to these reports, the company was looking for a way to get rid of its highest-paid employees without providing compensation. The manager reportedly invited these employees to entertainment venues such as bars and clubs, under the pretense of “relaxing after work.” There, they were allegedly enticed into participating in illegal activities.
Some employees stated that the manager pressured them to engage with sex workers, while others claimed they were encouraged to gamble and deliberately lose money to maintain a good relationship with their superior. It was only later that they realized they had fallen into a well-planned trap.
Once evidence of their behavior was gathered, they were dismissed without any financial compensation. Chinese sources have indicated that around 200 employees lost their jobs this way.
The company’s actions have faced widespread criticism online, with many social media users expressing outrage, pointing out that the fired employees would now struggle to find new jobs due to their involvement in illegal activities.
As a result, the employees not only lost their jobs but also faced significant damage to their reputations and future career prospects. Some have suggested that companies may resort to checking employees’ criminal records for grounds to fire them, while others might fabricate enticing job offers to push them into resigning.
