Man wins Rs 40 lakh after being fired for taking an hour’s nap in the office – here’s how

A man in China, identified as Zhang, faced unexpected consequences after taking a short nap at work. Zhang, a department manager at a chemical company in southeastern China, was exhausted from working late to complete assignments and decided to rest at his desk. However, this one-hour nap led to his dismissal after HR staff noticed he was sleeping instead of working.

While the nap initially cost him his job, it eventually netted him a surprising windfall of 350,000 yuan (approximately Rs. 40.78 lakh). Here’s how it unfolded.

Local news outlets obtained access to a WeChat conversation in which an HR employee asked Zhang, “Manager Zhang, how long did you sleep that day?” Zhang replied, “About an hour.”

Zhang’s case took an unexpected turn after he was fired. He decided to take legal action and sued the company for terminating his employment contract due to taking a nap at work. The court considered the case and, surprisingly, issued a judgment in favor of the employee.

Zhang received compensation of 350,000 yuan ($48,000). Judge Ju Qi of the Taixing People’s Court was reported to have stated, “Sleeping on the job was a first-time crime and did not cause serious harm to the company.” The court reviewed the company’s policy but found that Zhang’s actions did not justify his dismissal.