Chapter 6
Edward Quan ·
Manager Zhao’s lawyer stood.
“Arbitrator, our position is that—”
“The claimant refused to follow work assignments and had an extremely poor attitude.”
“The company has the right to discipline employees under its internal policies.”
Attorney Wang cut in.
“Is refusing unpaid overtime an extremely poor attitude?”
“Is asking to be paid for overtime under the law a refusal to follow instructions?”
“If so, then the Labor Law is nothing but scrap paper.”
The arbitrator tapped the desk.
“Respondent, answer the question.”
“Has the claimant been paid for his overtime?”
Manager Zhao’s lawyer was at a loss.
“Well…”
“Answer yes or no.”
The arbitrator’s voice was stern.
“No.”
The lawyer lowered his head.
“What about the employee transfer? Was it agreed to by both parties?”
“No.”
“Were the grounds for termination sufficient?”
“Well…”
The lawyer had nothing more to say.
The arbitrator looked at Manager Zhao.
“Mr. Zhao, do you have anything to add?”
Manager Zhao stood.
“Arbitrator, we’re a small company.”
“We’re all like family. There’s no need to be so calculative.”
“What Fang Zheng has done has chilled the company’s heart.”
The arbitrator frowned.
“Mr. Zhao, this is an arbitration hearing, not a place to appeal to people’s feelings.”
“The Labor Law says what it says. It must be enforced.”
“As an employer, you have an even greater responsibility to obey the law.”
Manager Zhao’s face flushed red.
He dropped heavily back into his seat.
The arbitrator announced a recess.
“Both parties may wait for further notice.”
“A ruling will be issued within fifteen working days.”
Outside the arbitration office, Manager Zhao stopped me.
“Fang Zheng, do you really have to be this heartless?”
I looked at him.
“Manager Zhao, you were the one who was heartless first.”
“When you fined me ten thousand for a bottle of water, why didn’t you talk about feelings?”
“When you transferred me unlawfully and maliciously fired me, why didn’t you talk about being family?”
“Now that the law is on my side, suddenly you want to talk about feelings?”
I smiled.
“Too late.”
He pointed at me.
“You—you just wait!”
“Even if you win, I have connections in this industry.”
“I’ll make sure you can’t survive in this line of work!”
I shrugged.
“Suit yourself.”
“I have technical skills. I can work anywhere and still put food on the table.”
“But you’ve got so many people’s overtime wages to pay. I wonder if your company will survive.”
Manager Zhao’s expression changed.
He turned and walked away.
Attorney Wang patted my shoulder.
“Don’t worry. This case is as good as won.”
I nodded.
“Thank you, Attorney Wang.”
When I got home, Wang messaged me.
“Fang Zheng, I won my case too!”
“The company has to pay me fifty thousand!”
I replied, “Congratulations.”
“You got what you deserved.”
Wang sent another message.
“Fang Zheng, you know what?”
“A lot of people at the company are filing claims now.”
“Manager Zhao’s going to have to pay through the nose.”
I smiled.
“Serves him right.”
I lay on my bed and suddenly remembered my first day at the company, three years ago.
Manager Zhao had patted me on the shoulder and said, “Xiao Fang, work hard. The company won’t let you down.”
I’d believed him.
Then the company let me down for three whole years.
Now, at last, I’d gotten back what was mine.
The process had been exhausting.
But it was worth it.
—
【Chapter 8】
Two weeks later, the arbitration ruling arrived.
I’d won.
The company had to pay me:
Overtime wages: 83,000 yuan.
Unjustly withheld bonus: 10,000 yuan.
Compensation for unlawful termination: 96,000 yuan.
Maliciously deducted performance pay: 3,000 yuan.
Total: 192,000 yuan.
I held the ruling in my hands, trembling.
Not because of the money.
Because justice had finally come, even if late.
Attorney Wang called.
“Congratulations, Mr. Fang.”
“If the company refuses to comply, we can apply for compulsory enforcement.”
“All right,” I said.
“I’ll wait.”
That afternoon, Manager Zhao called me.
“Fang Zheng.”
His voice sounded utterly exhausted.
“You won.”
“I know.”
“The company’s in a very difficult position now.”
Manager Zhao said, “After you made a fuss, everyone else followed suit.”
“Now I have to compensate more than twenty people, for over a million yuan in total.”
“The company may not survive.”
I was silent for a moment.
“Manager Zhao, you should have seen this coming.”
“Withholding employees’ overtime pay and maliciously docking their wages—”
“Sooner or later, this was bound to blow up.”
“I…”
Manager Zhao sighed.
“Could we negotiate?”
“Would you accept installments?”
I thought it over.
“Sure.”
“But we have to sign an agreement stating the amount and due date of every installment.”
“If you miss a payment, I’ll immediately apply for compulsory enforcement.”
“Okay,” Manager Zhao said.
“Thank you.”
I hung up.
I didn’t feel triumphant.
Just relieved.
That evening, Old Li invited me out to dinner.