Chinese hepatitis B carrier asked to quit job after company medical reveals he has virus
- Insurance company says decision to pull job offer was made for sake of employees
- The worker, one of 90 million in China with virus, may be offered alternative role
A man in southern China who carries the hepatitis B virus was asked to quit his post 10 days after he started work, a newspaper reported on Monday.
The 30-year-old, identified only by his surname Li, said the company withdrew his contract after a medical examination showed that he carries the virus, the Xiaoxiang Morning Post said.
The decision was made for the sake of employees, as they shared a canteen and kitchen utensils, the company, a branch of state-owned People’s Insurance Company of China, said.
Li started at the Liuyang branch in central Hunan province on January 2, and his meeting with management to sign a contract in the province’s capital city, Changsha, was scheduled for January 10.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver and can result in mild illness lasting a few weeks or a serious condition. The virus is spread by bodily fluids, but not by sneezes, coughing, hugging, or breastfeeding.
