Chinese man dies after working 104 days with one day off, company held liable

30-year-old painter identified as A’bao succumbed multiple organ failure after working exhaustive schedule 104 days with only one day of rest.
The court ruled that the company was 20% liable for A’bao’s death and ordered it to provide compensation to his family, according to the South China Morning Post.
A’bao made a deal Pneumococcal infectionwhich is often associated with a weakened immune system. This infection has progressed to respiratory failureultimately taking his own life on June 1, shortly after his health deteriorated on May 28.
In February of the previous year, A’bao signed a contract with an unidentified company, agreeing to work until January of that year. He was assigned to a project in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province. For months afterward, A’bao worked tirelessly every day, taking only one day off on April 6. After he called in sick on May 25, his condition deteriorated rapidly, soon leading to his hospitalization.
Social Security officials initially said A’bao’s death did not qualify as a work-related injury because of the time that had passed since he became ill. However, his family took legal action against the company, alleging negligence. The company maintained that A’bao’s workload was reasonable and the overtime was voluntary.
However, the court found that the grueling work schedule violated Chinese labor law, which mandates a maximum of eight hours of work per day and an average of 44 hours per week.