On September 20, a company in Baicheng City, Jilin Province, issued a directive banning employees from bringing Apple devices into the workplace, drawing significant attention. The notice stated that all staff members were prohibited from bringing Apple-brand phones or gadgets to the company, with violators facing immediate termination.
Concurrently, the company encouraged employees to switch to Huawei products and offered financial incentives for those who did so quickly. On September 24, a representative from Jilin Shengxin Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. explained that the policy aimed to promote the use of domestic mobile phones among staff.
The requirement drew mixed reactions online; some netizens considered it excessive, while others took a pragmatic stance, saying, “If the employer covers the cost of switching, it’s acceptable.”
On the 25th, a reporter posing as a netizen reached out to the Legal and Policy Office of the Baicheng City Human Resources and Social Security Bureau. An official there indicated that since this was an internal company rule, the bureau could not intervene. However, employees dismissed due to this rule could lodge complaints with the Labor Bureau.
In response, Fu Jian, the head of Henan Zejin Law Firm, stated that the regulation was illegal. Employees have the right to choose their phone brand, and dismissing someone solely for using an Apple phone infringes on their autonomy. Such action constitutes unlawful dismissal, and the company might face administrative penalties.
