‘Get married or get out’, is the clear order of a Chinese company to their single workers.
Some companies have tried to enforce strict rules on unmarried personnel as China’s marriage and fertility rates continue to decline. Employers have threatened to fire workers if they don’t get married.
The Chinese company Shandong Suning Chemical Group has reportedly given its employees a ‘get out’ instruction if they do not get married. According to the decree, single workers must get married by September 30 in order to maintain their jobs.
Even if they have previously been divorced, this decree encourages employees between the ages of 28 and 58 to get married.
“If you are unable to get married and start a family within three quarters, the corporation will terminate your employment contract,” the letter stated.
But after much indignation, the business officially revoked the policy.
But this directive sparked a debate, encouraging Chinese authorities to take certain action in this regard.
It is important to note that the Chinese government has implemented several incentives to encourage marriage and family formation in response to the country’s dropping birth rates.
For instance, the creator of the supermarket chain Pangdonglai has voiced opposition to exorbitant “bride prices”—payments to the bride’s family that resemble dowries. According to the company, they make marriage costly for a lot of men. In an effort to help couples save money, he has also argued for smaller wedding guest lists.
In addition, certain areas of China seem to be investigating programs that promote three-child households. The long-standing one-child policy, which has greatly exacerbated the nation’s demographic problems, stands in sharp contrast to this.
