Using the bathroom at work gives employees a chance to take a break without being spied on. A Chinese company has come under fire for doing just that, installing surveillance cameras above the toilet stalls to spy on employees.
In the past, companies throughout China have cut employee salaries for spending too much time in the restroom, fined workers for overusing the toilet and installed timers on toilet stalls. While all of these are also horrible, they don’t cross the line as much as actually watching employees use the toilet.
China Aviation Lithium Battery Technology Co., Ltd. in Xiamen, is a state-owned company specializing in the production of lithium batteries. It was discovered that they were the company behind the invasive cameras installed above the stalls of its employee bathrooms to monitor phone use during bathroom breaks.
Photos captured from the bathroom footage were posted on Chinese social media and immediately caused a stir. That’s when someone was able to recognize the background as the bathroom of China Aviation Lithium Battery Technology Co., Ltd.
So far, two of the employees from the company were fired over their bathroom usage. Another was given a severe penalty and had their monthly performance score go down to zero.
China Aviation Lithium Battery Technology Co., Ltd. has since confirmed that the leaked photos were recorded by its surveillance system. They also clarified that the cameras had only been installed this year for the purpose of monitoring smoking in the bathroom. Two people appearing in the photos were holding cigarettes but were also using their smartphones.
The Xiamen Xiang’an District Labor Security Supervision Brigade is allegedly conducting an investigation into this case as the installation of cameras in restrooms seriously violates the privacy of employees.