"Failed to Make 200 Calls?" Chinese Boss Makes New Employee Do 200 Squats

Muscle Injury After 200 Squats for Failing to Meet Performance Targets
Demands 3 Million KRW in Compensation for Medical and Living Expenses
Team Leader Claims “Personal Issue, Not Company Liability”

It has come to light that a female office worker in China was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition causing rapid muscle damage, after being punished by her supervisor to do 200 squats for not meeting sales targets.

On August 27, Yonhap News TV, citing the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and other sources, reported that a new employee working in telemarketing at a loan-related company in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, China, suffered muscle damage due to unreasonable behavior by her supervisor.

It has been reported that a female office worker in China was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition causing rapid muscle damage, after being punished by her supervisor to do 200 squats for not meeting sales targets. SCMP

The woman in her twenties, surnamed Yang, was punished with squats by her team leader on July 28. Yang was a fresh graduate who had joined the company in June. It was reported that Yang's team leader, surnamed Zhang, set performance goals for her team, including making 200 phone calls per day, inviting at least one customer, and securing at least one prospective client. Employees who failed to meet the goals had to pay a fine of 50 yuan (about 10,000 won) per missed item or do 100 squats per item. Yang, who failed to achieve two categories that day, was ordered to do a total of 200 squats.

Yang, who was not financially well-off, chose to do squats instead of paying the fine. Concerns about possibly losing her first job also influenced her decision. To prove she completed the punishment, Yang recorded herself performing squats in multiple locations around the office building and submitted the footage to her supervisor. In the video released publicly, Yang is seen stumbling and unable to stand up straight after finishing her final squats. As someone who rarely exercised, Yang subsequently experienced severe pain in both legs.

A female office worker in China was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, a condition involving rapid muscle damage, after being punished by her superior with '200 squats' for failing to meet sales targets. The photo is unrelated to the specific content of the article. Photo by Pixabay

Yang resigned from the company on July 30. However, the pain did not subside after the punishment, and about five days later, her urine turned a dark color. Eventually, Yang went to the hospital and was diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is a condition in which muscle fibers rapidly break down due to excessive exercise or trauma, releasing muscle contents into the bloodstream. This can result in severe muscle pain, reduced muscle strength, and cola-colored or dark red urine. In serious cases, it can damage kidney function and lead to acute renal failure.

Yang's creatine kinase (CK) level reportedly soared to over 16,000 U/L. Fortunately, her condition did not progress to renal failure, and doctors recommended plenty of rest and advised her to avoid intense physical activity. Yang claimed to have spent about 1,400 yuan (approximately 280,000 won) on medical expenses. Later, she demanded 15,000 yuan (about 3,000,000 won) from her team leader, which included medical costs, transportation expenses, living expenses for the period she was unable to find work while recovering, and compensation for her injury.

Through local broadcasts, Yang argued that the company used unrealistic performance goals and punitive measures to effectively drive her to resign. However, team leader Zhang admitted that her actions violated labor regulations but insisted it was a personal management style and not an official disciplinary measure of the company, distancing the company from responsibility. Zhang also rejected Yang’s compensation demand and reportedly told her to pursue legal procedures.

Ultimately, Yang filed a case with the local labor supervision authorities, and officials have launched an investigation. According to local media, under Chinese labor regulations, employers who insult or physically punish workers can be subject to administrative penalties, and in some cases, face detention for up to 15 days.

This is not the first time excessive squats have been used as a form of corporal punishment in China, resulting in rhabdomyolysis. In September 2024, it was reported that a physical education teacher at an elementary school in Wenling, Zhejiang province, had required about ten 5th-grade students with poor jump rope test results to perform 300 squats, sparking controversy.

The students reportedly did three sets of 100 squats each, and several later complained of severe leg pain. Among them, three received hospital treatment, and two were diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis. At that time, the school and Wenling City education authorities launched an investigation. In 2023, at a middle school in Changsha, Hunan province, a 14-year-old student was punished with 200 squats by a teacher for talking to a friend during class, and was later diagnosed with both rhabdomyolysis and liver damage. The student's condition deteriorated further, requiring plasma exchange and dialysis in the intensive care unit.

Local internet users continue to criticize the practice of imposing physically painful punishments in the name of work performance or education. There are particular concerns that forcing repeated, high-intensity exercises over a short period is not just simple 'discipline', but can seriously threaten health and even lives.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.