"Get Married by September or Be Fired": The Company's Message to Singles

A storm in China: The Shuntian Chemical Group from Shandong Province in Eastern China sparked outrage on social media after imposing an ultimatum on its single employees — Get married by the end of September or be fired. Following widespread public criticism and feedback from local authorities, the company announced it was withdrawing the decision.

In a notice issued last month, the company informed its employees that single workers between the ages of 28 to 58, including divorcees, were "required to solve their personal marriage issues" by September 30. It was also stated that those who do not comply by the first quarter will need to submit an "introspection letter," and if not married by the third quarter, they would be dismissed.

Additionally, it was noted that employees refusing to marry are "not responding to the country's call" and sometimes even "demonstrate disloyalty and disobedience to their parents' advice." The decision caused a public uproar, especially against the backdrop of China’s government efforts to encourage marriage and birth amid the sharp decline in the country's birth rate.

The severe public criticism was quick to follow, as was the reaction from the authorities. Chinese media reported that representatives from the local Human Resources and Social Security Bureau reached the company's offices on February 13 and clarified that the policy violates China's labor laws. Following governmental intervention, Shuntian announced it was canceling the directive.

A company representative, who chose to remain anonymous, told NBC: "The notice was canceled because some of the wording in it was inappropriate."

New official data from China indicates a 20% decline in the number of marriages in the country over the past year — the lowest figure recorded so far. Meanwhile, the Chinese population continued to shrink for the third consecutive year, standing at 1.408 billion people in 2024.