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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Employer forced engineer to attend off-shift online training sessions; he sued for overtime pay and won
In a striking win for employee rights , a Beijing-based engineer has secured a court-ordered compensation of 19,000 yuan (approximately US$2,600) from his former employer for being compelled to attend mandatory online training sessions after regular working hours — a case now hailed as a 'landmark' in China's evolving labour rights landscape. This unusual clash over what qualifies as overtime in the age of remote work and digital communication was first reported by Workers' Daily on July 17 and has since drawn nationwide attention, sparking conversations about employee autonomy in an always-connected world. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics Design Thinking Product Management Management Operations Management Degree healthcare CXO Others Digital Marketing MCA Project Management Cybersecurity Data Science Leadership Finance Healthcare PGDM Data Science MBA Technology Public Policy others Skills you'll gain: Duration: 7 Months S P Jain Institute of Management and Research CERT-SPJIMR Exec Cert Prog in AI for Biz India Starts on undefined Get Details Training After Hours? Or Hidden Overtime? According to South China Morning Post, the man, identified only as Wang, had been employed as an engineer at a Beijing-based engineering firm from July 2020 until June 2023. His gripe wasn't about workload during office hours — it was about what happened after. According to Wang, his employer required him to participate in frequent online training sessions using platforms like DingTalk and WeChat, all outside his official shift. Refusing to attend came at a peculiar price: a 'voluntary donation' of 200 yuan (about US$28). Wang wasn't buying it. He filed for arbitration, seeking over 80,000 yuan (US$11,000) in unpaid overtime. However, when the labour authority failed to support his claim, he took the battle to court. Employer's Defence: Log In, Zone Out? In its defence, the company argued that these post-shift sessions didn't constitute overtime since there was no active work involved. Logging in, they claimed, was merely symbolic — employees weren't required to speak or even pay attention. As such, they contended, no actual labour occurred, and therefore no compensation was warranted. You Might Also Like: Female MNC employee wanted work-life balance; got fired for refusing to work overtime They also denied any connection between the training sessions and the 200-yuan donation, suggesting that the two were unrelated policies. Court Calls Out 'Encroachment of Personal Time' The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court disagreed. It held that the very requirement of logging into a scheduled session during personal time was itself an intrusion, regardless of whether verbal participation or listening was enforced. Most crucially, the court observed that the presence of a punitive 'donation' policy suggested the sessions were effectively compulsory. 'These activities occurred after working hours, with the employee lacking the option to decline participation. Therefore, they should be classified as overtime,' the court ruled. However, it also acknowledged inconsistencies in Wang's login times and awarded him a partial sum — 19,000 yuan instead of the 80,000 he had originally sought. You Might Also Like: IIT professor has ingenius idea to make corporate leaders champions of work-life balance overnight Digital Boundaries and Labour Laws Government-affiliated news portal lauded the court's verdict, describing it as carrying 'landmark significance.' An editorial published by the platform sharply noted the creeping intrusion of work into personal time through digital tools, calling such expectations 'hidden overtime.' 'With the evolution of communication tools, the encroachment of work into employees' personal lives is increasingly prevalent,' the editorial stated. 'Even when not physically present in the office or officially off duty, a message on a mobile device can pull them back into work.' The case underscores an increasingly urgent global dilemma: where should the boundary lie between personal time and professional obligation in an era where the office is just a screen away?
The Star
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Jack Ma replies to Alibaba employee's letter lamenting 'company disease'
The Alibaba founder highlights 'changes' in the company's development as it embarks on an ambitious AI strategy. — SCMP Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group Holding, responded to the resignation letter of a long-term employee on Tuesday, a rare move for the tech veteran who stepped back from all corporate roles in 2019. In a response published on Alibaba's internal website, Ma addressed the concerns raised by a 15-year employee, who criticised the 'big company disease' afflicting the Chinese e-commerce giant in an extensive internal letter. The employee, a product development leader on the team responsible for enterprise collaboration tool DingTalk, reflected fondly on his early years at Alibaba and praised the company's core values, but sharply critiqued what he saw as various internal issues. They included unsuccessful acquisitions, unclear strategies, undesirable hiring practices, as well as unfair performance assessments and promotion mechanisms. Still, the letter, posted on Monday, concluded on an optimistic note: 'Artificial intelligence is coming, embrace this era ... After spending 15 years with you, I hope you thrive for centuries. Alibaba, stay strong!' Expressing gratitude for the employee's feedback, Ma wrote on Tuesday: 'Just as a person grows, Alibaba's development inevitably involves many paths and processes. The company is undergoing changes, and I wish you the best. I hope you visit us often.' The original letter and Ma's response have sparked widespread discussion in China's tech circles. Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post , did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday. Ma, 60, has largely withdrawn from public view since 2020, but remains Alibaba's largest shareholder and spiritual leader. He recently re-emerged into the public eye, attending President Xi Jinping's business symposium in February and making multiple visits to Alibaba's campus. During Alibaba's annual open day for friends and family in May, Ma received a rock-star welcome as he toured a newly unveiled replica of the flat where he founded the company 26 years ago, designed to highlight Alibaba's humble beginnings and innovative spirit. Alibaba has set out an ambitious artificial intelligence (AI) strategy, allocating US$52bil (RM 220.76bil) for capital spending over three years to enhance computing resources and AI infrastructure. The company's open-source large language model series, Qwen, has received increasing global recognition, while its consumer-facing AI application Quark is gaining traction among domestic users. For the quarter ending March 31, Alibaba reported revenue growth of 7% to 236.5bil yuan ( RM139.94 bil). Net income surged 279% to 12.4bil yuan (RM 7.33bil) , while revenue from the Cloud Intelligence Group, a key growth driver, rose 18% to 30.1bil yuan (RM 17.81bil) . Alibaba's Hong Kong-listed shares have climbed about 45% this year. – South China Morning Post
South China Morning Post
12-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Jack Ma replies to Alibaba employee's letter lamenting ‘big company disease'
Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group Holding, responded to the resignation letter of a long-term employee on Tuesday, a rare move for the tech veteran who stepped back from all corporate roles in 2019. In a response published on Alibaba's internal website, Ma addressed the concerns raised by a 15-year employee, who criticised the 'big company disease' afflicting the Chinese e-commerce giant in an extensive internal letter. The employee, a product development leader on the team responsible for enterprise collaboration tool DingTalk, reflected fondly on his early years at Alibaba and praised the company's core values, but sharply critiqued what he saw as various internal issues. They included unsuccessful acquisitions, unclear strategies, undesirable hiring practices, as well as unfair performance assessments and promotion mechanisms. Still, the letter, posted on Monday, concluded on an optimistic note: 'Artificial intelligence is coming, embrace this era … After spending 15 years with you, I hope you thrive for centuries. Alibaba, stay strong!' Expressing gratitude for the employee's feedback, Ma wrote on Tuesday: 'Just as a person grows, Alibaba's development inevitably involves many paths and processes. The company is undergoing changes, and I wish you the best. I hope you visit us often.' Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba, visits the company's campus in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on May 9, 2025. Photo: Handout The original letter and Ma's response have sparked widespread discussion in China's tech circles. Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post, did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.
South China Morning Post
10-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Jack Ma's Alibaba visit and replica flat spark nostalgia over company's humble start
Jack Ma , founder of Alibaba Group Holding , received a rock-star welcome on Friday as he appeared at an annual event for staff and family, lifting employees' spirits during a time of strategic repositioning at the business empire he established, according to company sources. Advertisement Ma, 60, visited Alibaba's campus in Hangzhou, capital of east Zhejiang province, in the evening. He toured a replica of the flat where he founded the company 26 years ago and attended a music show alongside thousands of employees. Although he did not deliver a speech, photos and videos of his appearance went viral on Chinese social media. Employees were seen cheering the return of Ma, who remains the largest shareholder and spiritual leader of the company. Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post, kicked off its two-day annual gathering on Friday to honour family members for their support of employees. This year, AliDay celebrations are being held in Alibaba offices in Hangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and overseas. Visitors tour the company's campus in Hangzhou on AliDay, which features photo booths, mascot parades, matchmaking sessions and other activities. Photo: Wency Chen At the replica flat, one wall displayed a quote from late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping written by Ma in 2008: 'Development is the hard truth'. Employees lined up to pay homage on Saturday. Advertisement A founding team member of Alibaba's office tool DingTalk, surnamed Luo, recalled how the 100-square-metre (1,076 sq ft) space once accommodated 50 people. 'Everyone rushed in early in the morning just to grab a seat,' he said, adding that the visit had rekindled his memories of entrepreneurship.
South China Morning Post
01-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Alibaba woos back DingTalk founder to lead office app's AI push
Advertisement Chen Hang, who created the app in 2015 and left Alibaba in 2021 to pursue his own venture, will return as the new DingTalk CEO. The news comes as Alibaba, which owns the South China Morning Post, plans to acquire a stake in Chen's Hangzhou-based start-up HHO, the representative said. HHO has raised at least two funding rounds since its launch, with backing from venture capital funds, including Vision Plus Capital, an investment firm started by Alibaba CEO Eddie Wu Yongming, according to Chinese corporate database Tianyancha. The leadership reshuffle was first reported by Chinese tech news outlet 36Kr on Monday. Ye Jun, the former CEO of DingTalk, will transition to a new role within Alibaba, according to 36Kr. He is currently working in Alibaba's CEO office, according to his DingTalk page. The changes highlight Alibaba's intensified focus on AI, as the Hangzhou-based firm seeks to capitalise on the global frenzy around generative AI models and specialised applications, an area of particular focus for the company. Advertisement DingTalk, with 700 million users as of the end of 2023, is seen as a key asset in Alibaba's AI strategy. The app generated more than US$200 million in annual recurring revenue – primarily from subscriptions – in the first half of the company's financial year, covering the six months through September.
