Punished with 200 squats for missing her sales quota, saleswoman suffers muscle breakdown

A saleswoman named Yang, who recently relocated to Hangzhou and started a new job as a financial consultant, faced a grueling punishment for missing her sales targets. The company, Suzhou Dongrong Information Technology, required her to complete 200 squats or pay a CNY50 ($7) fine for each missed target. Unable to pay, Yang chose the more physically demanding option.

The punishment, carried out by her manager Zhang, was filmed and required to be shown to the company. Yang's legs were in excruciating pain by the end, and she had to grip a door frame to stay upright. She did not seek medical attention for five days, only doing so after her urine turned dark. Tests revealed an abnormally high level of creatine kinase in her blood, indicative of muscle tissue damage.

She was later diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition caused by the breakdown of muscle fibers that can lead to kidney failure. After resting and staying off strenuous exercise, her treatment cost CNY1,400 ($208). Yang, unable to work, resigned and demanded reimbursement for her medical and transportation costs as well as CNY15,000 ($2,230) for personal injury.

She also asked for Zhang to cover these expenses, which he refused, telling her to sue instead. Zhang claimed the punishment violated labor laws but argued that sales companies must apply pressure to meet targets. The court had previously ruled that a company could be partially liable if an employee suffers rhabdomyolysis from squatting as ordered by a manager, and that such instructions carried the company's authority.

Under China's Labor Law, an employer who humiliates or physically punishes a worker could leave them facing administrative detention of up to 15 days.