Wrigley China and Beijing Duoqi Enterprise Management and Consultant Company have been together sued by a former Chinese employee who claims he was fired by the company for carrying the Hepatitis B virus.
According to Chinese media, the 33-year old employee named Zhang Li joined Wrigley China's Hangzhou branch on October 25, 2002 to deliver goods for the company. Later in June 2004, he was transferred by Wrigley China to Beijing Duoqi Enterprise Management and Consultant Company and signed a labor contract with the latter. In August 2007, Zhang was found to be a Hepatitis B virus carrier in a physical checkup arranged by the company and he was soon dismissed.
According to China's Labor and Employment Promotion Law which took effect on January 1, 2008, employers must not refuse to use workers who are infectious disease carriers, and China's Ministry of Labor and Ministry of Health also asks employers to protect the interests of Hepatitis B virus carriers. Zhang says though he is a virus carrier, he won't infect others or affect the duties he will undertake in the company. He has therefore sued Beijing Duoqi and Wrigley China, asking them to apologize and pay him RMB50000 in compensation.
According to Xinhua News Agency, Wrigley China's representative said that as Wrigley China specializes in food and Zhang directly touches food during his work, the company terminated contract with him to prevent the spread of the disease.
