Is it reasonable for a company to refuse to pay 200,000 yuan in compensation after a woman fell and became disabled in the restroom?
[2] Recently, a highly publicized work-related injury dispute occurred in the Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The case involves Yu (pseudonym), an employee of a supermarket in Wenshan, who accidentally fell while using the restroom during work hours, resulting in multiple fractures across her body, diagnosed as a level-nine disability by the hospital. This accident not only caused Yu immense physical suffering but also sparked a profound discussion on work injury recognition and corporate responsibility.
[3] On the night of the incident, unable to walk, Yu was carried by her husband to clock out and then immediately taken to the hospital for examination. The diagnosis revealed severe injuries with multiple fractures. Faced with this sudden blow, Yu had to endure a long recovery process and substantial medical expenses. To protect her legal rights, she applied for work injury recognition from the local Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. Unexpectedly, the supermarket initially raised no objections and stamped approval for the work injury claim.
[4] However, a dramatic twist occurred. When the company learned that it had not paid work injury insurance for Yu and that the total medical and subsidy costs amounted to 201,504.24 yuan, it suddenly reneged and filed an administrative lawsuit with the court of first instance, seeking to revoke the already-issued Work Injury Determination. This move blatantly disregarded Yu's rights and sparked widespread public attention and debate.
[5] So, is the company's refusal to pay 200,000 yuan reasonable? From a legal perspective, the answer is clearly no. According to the relevant provisions of the Work Injury Insurance Regulations, regardless of whether the employer has paid work injury insurance for the employee, compensation must be provided for injuries sustained due to work-related reasons during employment. Although Yu's fall in the restroom during work hours may seem unrelated to her job, it was actually for meeting physiological needs, which has a causal link to her work duties. This situation aligns with the condition for work injury recognition: "suffering accidental injury while engaged in preparatory or finishing work related to the job before or after work hours within the workplace." Therefore, recognizing Yu's injury as a work injury is legally and reasonably justified.
[6] Furthermore, the Social Insurance Law and the Work Injury Insurance Regulations explicitly stipulate that employers must pay work injury insurance for all their employees or workers. This is a legal obligation of the employer and cannot be exempted for any reason. Thus, the company's failure to pay work injury insurance for Yu not only violates the law but also entails corresponding compensation liability.
In this case, both the court of first instance and the court of second instance determined that Yu's injury constituted a work-related injury, and since the company had not paid work-related injury insurance premiums for him, it should bear the compensation liability. This ruling not only upheld Yu's legitimate rights and interests but also reflected the law's protection of employee rights. The company's backtracking and appeal not only failed to resolve the issue but instead exacerbated the conflict between the two parties and damaged the company's image and reputation.
In summary, the company's refusal to pay 200,000 yuan is unreasonable. They not only violated legal provisions but also breached basic moral and professional ethics. This case once again reminds us that workplace safety and work-related injury identification issues cannot be ignored, and both enterprises and employees should always pay attention to their own rights protection and legal responsibilities. At the same time, it calls on all sectors of society to strengthen attention and support for workplace safety and employee welfare, jointly creating a harmonious, safe, and fair working environment.
