A mainland Chinese woman recently posted online that she was hired by the Deli Group after three rounds of interviews, but was dismissed on the day of joining because she walked with a limp. The news caught the attention of netizens and quickly trended online.
On September 29, the woman stated in her post that in early May this year, she passed two rounds of online interviews and one in-person interview with the Deli Group, and received a job offer for the position of HRBP (Human Resource Business Partner, which refers to HR managers who collaborate with various business departments within a company).
On May 13, when she reported to the Deli Group headquarters in Ninghai County, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, she was asked by the receptionist about any leg issues. She mentioned that it did not affect her work. Later that afternoon, the HR department informed her that the leadership did not agree to her employment and asked her to send a message via WeChat stating that she was leaving voluntarily due to not adapting to the role.
The woman explained that she had a leg condition since childhood which caused her to walk with a limp, but she did not require a cane or wheelchair. She has seven years of professional experience and has been promoted multiple times.
On September 30, the woman posted again saying that the Executive Secretary of Deli had contacted her for a face-to-face discussion, but she declined. She made it clear that she had turned down the offer to rejoin Deli and that she was not considering working for the company again. She mentioned in her post that she can have better choices and called for fair treatment of people with disabilities in the workplace, expressing gratitude to the online supporters.
Following the woman’s post on September 29 about her experience, Deli Group CEO Chen Xue commented, expressing shock at the incident and offering a sincere apology on behalf of the company management, stating that the personnel involved would be held accountable.
Public information shows that Deli Group Limited was founded in 1981 and is located in Deli Industrial Park, Ninghai County, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province. It owns independent sub-brands including Deli Office, Deli Stationery, Angenierte, Nunesai, Deli Tools, with products ranging from office and student stationery to office equipment, supplies, and paper products.