BYD, the Chinese automotive giant, is once again at the center of public scrutiny. Following recent controversies, including renewed discussions about “normal pressure fuel tanks” and comparisons to “Evergrande of the auto industry,” the company is now facing accusations of requiring employees to work unpaid overtime. This new development adds to a growing list of challenges for BYD, which has yet to issue a formal response.

According to online posts from alleged internal employees, BYD management has verbally mandated at least two hours of unpaid overtime daily. Specifically, the engineering department is reportedly forced to work until 8:00 PM without compensation. One netizen claimed that this translates to 40 hours of unpaid overtime per month. Additionally, employees are said to be facing short lunch breaks, a strict 7-day limit on paternity leave, and performance deductions for being even one minute late. Concerns have also been raised that employment contracts only list basic salaries, omitting performance bonuses and profit-sharing incentives.

Further details from online discussions highlight several points of contention:

• Mandatory unpaid overtime: The engineering department is allegedly required to work until 8:00 PM daily, a verbal directive that reportedly increased from 7:30 PM last year.
• Limited lunch breaks: Despite a one-hour lunch break, employees spend over 30 minutes queuing for food, leaving less than 10 minutes for rest.
• Paternity leave restrictions: Paternity leave exceeding seven days reportedly results in a complete deduction of performance bonuses.
• Strict attendance policy: Employees are required to clock in four times a day, with a one-minute delay leading to performance deductions. Only one make-up punch is allowed per month.
• Workplace surveillance: There are reports of supervisors monitoring employees to ensure they are not using their phones during work hours.
• Contractual ambiguity: Contracts reportedly only specify basic wages, with performance and profit bonuses not explicitly included.

Comments from other netizens corroborate these claims, with some stating that unpaid overtime is a common practice in certain departments, effectively leading to reduced take-home pay. One employee from the “Twelfth Business Unit” mentioned that their base salary is around 2,500 yuan (348 USD), but without overtime, their monthly income can drop to 2,000 yuan (278 USD). They added that only by working overtime can they earn 4,000-5,000 yuan (556 – 716 USD) to sustain their livelihood. Another netizen from the engineering department confirmed the one-hour lunch break and the policy of deducting performance for multiple make-up punches. They also noted that their contract only listed the basic salary, as they were informed during their interview that only the “P-value” (likely referring to a performance metric) was guaranteed, with other bonuses being variable.

The allegations of mandatory unpaid overtime, coupled with existing controversies, place BYD under public and media pressure. The company has yet to issue an official statement regarding these claims.

Source: QQ