- A Chinese company sparked outrage after issuing an unusual notice.
- The company wants employees to get married or lose their jobs.
- The company framed the policy around traditional values.
A Chinese company, Shuntian Chemical Group, sparked outrage after issuing a notice requiring unmarried employees to marry by September 2025 or risk losing their jobs.
The company, based in Shandong province, framed the policy around traditional values such as “diligence, kindness, loyalty, filial piety, and righteousness,” asserting that marriage and family were essential to upholding these principles.
The directive applied to all single or divorced employees aged 28 to 58, mandating marriage by September 30, 2025. Employees who failed to comply were instructed to submit self-criticism letters by March and could face termination after a review in June. Company representatives defended the policy, claiming it was meant to encourage older employees to settle down.
However, the local human resources and social security bureau swiftly intervened, declaring the policy a violation of labor laws. Under pressure, Shuntian Chemical Group withdrew the directive.
The controversy comes amid China’s ongoing struggle with a declining birthrate, exacerbated by the legacy of the one-child policy. Despite government incentives to boost marriage and childbirth, the number of registered marriages has steadily declined, dropping to just 6.1 million in 2025, down from 7.68 million in 2021.
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