Company in China threatens to fire single or divorced employees
A company in Shandong Province, China threatened to fire its single or divorced employees if their marital status did not change by the end of September 2025, before backtracking on the decision amid widespread controversy.
According to Sina News, a netizen shared Shuntian Chemical Group’s unusual announcement on 12 Feb, which quickly went viral.
However, one staff member revealed that the notice had been issued to single employees as early as January.
Single & divorced employees threatened with dismissal by September
The notice required single and divorced employees aged 28 to 58 to “resolve their marriage issues” by the end of September 2025.
Employees who fail to get married and start a family within the first quarter of the year will need to write a self-criticism letter.
By the end of June, the company will evaluate those who remain unmarried, and if they are still single by September, they will have to resign.
Shuntian Chemical Group stated:
Not responding to the country’s call to marry and have children is disloyal.
Not listening to your parents and causing them worry is unfilial.
Failing to find a partner after multiple attempts is unkind.
Disregarding the advice of colleagues and causing them concern is unrighteous.
The company also appointed the office and human resources department as the supervising and assessment units, warning that if these units failed to enforce the rule, a “severe inaction assessment” would be conducted against them.
According to the South China Morning Post, the number of marriages in China hit a new low of 6.1 million in 2024, a 20.5% drop from the 7.68 million recorded the previous year.
Company retracts plan after being summoned by authorities
Following public outcry, the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau of Yinan County summoned Shuntian Chemical Group on 13 Feb.
The bureau informed the company that their rule violated labour regulations and demanded it be immediately abolished.
Shuntian Chemical Group was also warned that if any employee was dismissed due to the rule, it would face legal consequences.
Less than a day later, it rescinded the policy.
In a subsequent statement, the company explained that the intention behind the rule was to encourage employees, particularly older unmarried ones, to devote “time and energy” to their personal lives and start a family.
However, it acknowledged that the approach was overly simplistic and forceful, turning what was meant to be a suggestion into a rigid requirement.
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Featured image adapted from Thai Liang Lim on Canva.
