(China 25th) A Chinese internet user recently posted on a social media platform claiming they encountered "the craziest company" when job hunting. The company requires all employees to attend a video conference to read classics from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. at home, sparking heated discussions online.
According to a report by Fast Technology, a media outlet contacted the company as an applicant, and their HR director made the same demand. When asked about overtime pay, the HR director stated, "It doesn't count as overtime, and there is no overtime pay."
According to screenshots posted by the netizen, the company's regulations state that working hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with a lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Before arriving at the company, a video meeting must be attended from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., and all employees must read classical works.
The report notes that the company's legal representative explained the reason for establishing a reading culture: "The main purpose is to enhance the employees' cognition." She pointed out that, for example, 'Mencius' teaches how emperors manage a country, and if one can learn some state management knowledge, then managing a company or team becomes naturally feasible.
As for why the reading time is set from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. daily, the aforementioned legal representative explained, "The boss is very concerned about young people's health. If they are too busy to read together, they can record it at another time, but it is still hoped everyone reads together."
The report mentions that the requirement to read classics at 7:00 a.m. each day doesn't directly involve legality issues, as the critical point lies in whether this hour each day violates labor regulation's work time limits.
According to Article 36 of the Labor Law of the People's Republic of China, the state implements a work time system where the daily work time for laborers does not exceed 8 hours, and the average weekly work time does not exceed 44 hours. If the meeting time at 7:30 a.m. causes employees' work time to exceed this limit without corresponding compensation, then the company’s actions may be illegal.
Red Star News commented that if a company encourages reading as part of promoting a reading culture, there's no problem; however, making it a mandatory requirement outside work hours and in the form of a video conference is hardly reasonable. Forcing employees to engage in morning reading occupies their rest time before work, which is a form of hypocrisy that puts employees in a difficult position.
Requiring employees to execute early reading daily constitutes involuntary "invisible work time," suspected of covertly encroaching on workers' rest time. The company's belief that it "doesn't count as overtime" and offers no overtime pay is potentially a violation of labor law.
According to a report by Fast Technology, a media outlet contacted the company as an applicant, and their HR director made the same demand. When asked about overtime pay, the HR director stated, "It doesn't count as overtime, and there is no overtime pay."
According to screenshots posted by the netizen, the company's regulations state that working hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with a lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Before arriving at the company, a video meeting must be attended from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., and all employees must read classical works.
The report notes that the company's legal representative explained the reason for establishing a reading culture: "The main purpose is to enhance the employees' cognition." She pointed out that, for example, 'Mencius' teaches how emperors manage a country, and if one can learn some state management knowledge, then managing a company or team becomes naturally feasible.
As for why the reading time is set from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. daily, the aforementioned legal representative explained, "The boss is very concerned about young people's health. If they are too busy to read together, they can record it at another time, but it is still hoped everyone reads together."
The report mentions that the requirement to read classics at 7:00 a.m. each day doesn't directly involve legality issues, as the critical point lies in whether this hour each day violates labor regulation's work time limits.
According to Article 36 of the Labor Law of the People's Republic of China, the state implements a work time system where the daily work time for laborers does not exceed 8 hours, and the average weekly work time does not exceed 44 hours. If the meeting time at 7:30 a.m. causes employees' work time to exceed this limit without corresponding compensation, then the company’s actions may be illegal.
Red Star News commented that if a company encourages reading as part of promoting a reading culture, there's no problem; however, making it a mandatory requirement outside work hours and in the form of a video conference is hardly reasonable. Forcing employees to engage in morning reading occupies their rest time before work, which is a form of hypocrisy that puts employees in a difficult position.
Requiring employees to execute early reading daily constitutes involuntary "invisible work time," suspected of covertly encroaching on workers' rest time. The company's belief that it "doesn't count as overtime" and offers no overtime pay is potentially a violation of labor law.