The company says the man's workload was acceptable.
China's culture of overwork is under renewed scrutiny after a 30-year-old man died of organ failure after working 104 days straight with one day off afternoon.
SCMP reports on this.
A court in Zhejiang Province ruled that the company bears 20 percent liability for the death of a man identified as A'bao. He died from multiple organ failure due to pneumococcal infection, which is often associated with a weakened immune system.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage in China and a debate about how the country treats workers.
In February last year, A'bao signed a contract to work as a painter for a company whose name the court is not disclosing. The contract was to last until January of this year. He was then assigned to a project in Zhoushan City in eastern China's Zhejiang Province.
A'bao worked every day for 104 days from February to May last year after signing the contract, taking only one day off on April 6. On May 25, he took sick leave due to poor health and spent the day resting in his dormitory.
A'bao's condition suddenly worsened on May 28. Co-workers took him to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a lung infection and respiratory failure. He died on June 1.
During the initial investigation into his death, welfare officials said that since more than 48 hours passed between A'bao's illness and his death, it could not be classified as an occupational injury.
His family then filed a compensation claim, accusing the employer of negligence. In response, the company argued that A'bao's workload was manageable and that any overtime was voluntary. They also claimed that his death was caused by underlying health issues and the lack of timely medical intervention, which worsened his condition.
The court found that A'bao's inability to work for 104 consecutive days was a clear violation of Chinese labor laws, which stipulate a maximum of eight hours of work per day and an average of 44 hours per week.
The court ruled that the company's violation of labor laws played a significant role in A'bao's deteriorating immune system and his death, holding the company 20 percent responsible for the tragedy.
The court awarded A'bao's family 400,000 yuan (US$56,000) compensation, including 10,000 yuan for emotional suffering caused by the death.
The company appealed the decision, but in August, the Zhoushan Intermediate People's Court upheld the original verdict.
A'bao's death is not an uncommon case, as tragic deaths related to harsh working conditions are relatively common in China. In August 2019, a worker known by the alias Zhu Bing died suddenly on his way home from work. It was later revealed that Zhu had worked the entire month of July without rest and had put in 130 hours of overtime. The court ruled that Zhu's employer was 30% liable for Zhu's death and awarded 360,000 yuan (US$50,000) in compensation.
Recall that the man died after he had 23 teeth removed and 12 implants installed in one day. His daughter is now demanding punishment.
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