Shandong Company Sparks Controversy by Requiring Employees to Resign if They Do Not Get Married

In recent news from February 14, 2025, the marriage rate in China has hit a 45-year low, with a continuous decrease in the willingness of young people to get married. On February 13, there was a post circulating online claiming that Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group issued a notice requesting single employees (aged 28-58, including divorced individuals) to get married within a deadline, or face dismissal, sparking heated discussions.

The notice states that this measure is to “respond to the national call,” and failure to comply is seen as “disloyalty,” requiring employees to “resolve personal marriage issues by September 30, 2025.” It outlines consequences for non-compliance, such as writing self-reflections in the first quarter, undergoing assessments in the second quarter, and ultimately facing termination if marriage is not accomplished by the third quarter. The notice also mandates oversight assessments by the company’s office and human resources department.

Public information reveals that Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group Co., Ltd. is located in Linyi City, Shandong Province, and primarily engages in the manufacturing of chemical raw materials and products, with a registered capital of 35.8 million RMB.

Following the exposure of the notice online, netizens expressed outrage, criticizing the company’s mandate as interfering in personal lives and questioning the company’s motives. There are suspicions that such directives stem from higher authorities, showcasing compliance to official calls. Critics condemned the company for attempting to use its authority to dictate employees’ private lives, suggesting potential legal violations.

According to Zhenguan News, employees of Shandong Shuntian Chemical Group stated that it was a decision made by company leadership and an internal matter. Officials from the Labor Security and Supervision Brigade in Yinan County, Linyi City, denied the existence of such a notice after verifying with the company.

Yangcheng Evening News reported that on February 13, Yinan County’s Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security issued a corrective order to the enterprise. Subsequently, the company announced the cessation and annulment of the stipulations in the notice, promising to enhance internal management to prevent similar incidents.

In recent years, the Chinese authorities have implemented various measures to encourage marriage and childbirth among young people in response to declining population growth. However, these efforts have not yielded significant results.

Data released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the Communist Party of China on February 8 showed a significant decrease in 2024 nationwide marriage registrations, totaling 6.106 million couples, a decrease of 1.574 million couples compared to 2023, representing a 20.5% decline, marking a 45-year low.

Notably, recent statistics released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs for the fourth quarter of 2024 indicate a continued decline in the marriage inclination among the Chinese population. Analysts attribute this trend to various factors, primarily the economic downturn in China creating substantial financial pressure on young people. Additionally, imbalanced gender ratios due to the one-child policy, societal moral crises, diminishing family values among the youth, as well as the impact of the pandemic reducing the eligible marriage population, collectively contribute to the challenge of boosting marriage rates and raising birth rates.

For further reading:

China’s Marriage Rate Hits 45-Year Low: Experts Analyze Multiple Causes