A man in China went to a toilet in his office building, where he collapsed and later died.

Updated on: Aug 26, 2026, 15:51:09 IST

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A programmer in China who died while sitting on a toilet at the office was denied a work-related death classification as he had not logged onto his computer.

What had happened?

The 39-year-old programmer, identified as Xing, went to a toilet on the second floor of his office building instead of his 11th-floor desk and died while in the washroom, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP).

The outlet reported that after entering the office, Xing asked for directions to the second-floor toilet. When he didn’t come out after a long time, it was discovered that he had collapsed in the toilet. When resuscitation attempts failed, he was pronounced dead. The cause of his death was not disclosed.

The company he worked for sought his death as work-related. However, the Shenzhen Human Resources and Social Security Bureau dismissed that application.

The local bureau stated that Xing was “neither at his workstation nor working” when he was discovered. They stated that since he went to the toilet without checking in or turning on his computer, he had “not yet reported for duty.”

Wife requests review

Xing’s wife requested an administrative review of the decision. She insisted that the man worked past 9 pm throughout his four years at the company. She stated that once he had stayed until nearly 2 am.

According to the outlet, a Chinese law states that the families of employees would receive funeral and dependent benefits in case of work-related death. They would also receive a one-time compensation payment. In Xing's case, his employer had already compensated the family. However, the amount was not disclosed.

Social media reacts?

The news of Xing’s death, denied as being workplace-related, has prompted various remarks among social media users. An individual questioned, “If you’re already at the workplace when it happens, does the location really change the circumstances that much??”

Another commented, “Died at work but apparently wasn't working hard enough for it to count?!” A third posted, “This needs a thorough investigation.”

A fourth wrote, “This is wild. The logic here is so detached from reality—like, what even counts as ‘work-related’ if not being on the clock in the office? Hope there’s some pushback on this.”

A lawyer at Beijing Zhuohao Law Firm, Zhang Jian, told SCMP that workplace restrooms should be an extension of the work environment. Jian expressed that using the toilet is a “necessary and reasonable physiological need”.

The incident has triggered widespread outrage, especially on Chinese social media platforms.

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