In a report from Epoch Times on June 24, 2025, it was revealed that the Chinese company Zhejiang Chuanxin Integrated Circuit Co., Ltd. was accused by employees of unilaterally adjusting the working hours system starting in July under the pretext of “cost reduction and efficiency improvement,” significantly shortening the shift rotation cycle in violation of the standard working hour system agreed upon in labor contracts. The company also forcibly dismissed interns who had completed one year, planning to recruit new interns as replacements, raising concerns of a “disposable after use” practice.
On June 24, a WeChat user posted in a group disclosing that Zhejiang Chuanxin planned to adjust the working hours system from July, changing the current “two shifts, two days off” schedule to a “four days on, two days off” schedule, and shifting the rotation of night shifts from every two months to every six days. This change in the system has caused dissatisfaction among some employees.
An employee named “Soba” who graduated last year confirmed the situation, saying, “I heard that they are going to lay off interns hired last year and change the work hours. Jobs are hard to come by now, and if we are really laid off, even putting food on the table will be difficult.”
An anonymous former member of a labor organization in Shenzhen, Mr. Wang, stated that this adjustment would increase work intensity, compress rest time for employees, and amount to a disguised extension of working hours. He pointed out, “A two-day shift with two days off is more humane. Now, four days of continuous high-intensity work with reduced rest time makes recovery difficult; frequent shift changes disrupt the rhythm of life and affect health.”
Mr. Wang pointed out that Chuanxin Zhejiang’s labor contract stipulates the use of “standard working hours,” yet they implemented a shift system without authorization, which may constitute a violation of Article 36 of the Labor Law, stating that daily work should not exceed eight hours and weekly work should not exceed forty hours.
Geng Denghao, a former civil servant from Zhuji, Zhejiang Province, also mentioned that a shift system falls under a special working hour system, and according to regulations, the company should apply for record filing with the local human resources and social security department. If Zhejiang Chuanxin did not apply for permission before unilaterally adjusting the shift schedule, it would be deemed an act of administrative illegality. He told reporters, “Compliance with regulations should not be overlooked just because it is a state-owned enterprise. Labor rights should not be discounted. Some companies are using economic difficulties or the ‘neck-kinking’ by the United States as excuses to shift the pressure onto employees, which is unreasonable.”
Furthermore, the company was reported to forcibly dismiss interns who had completed one year and plan to recruit a new batch of interns to replace the original positions. Geng Denghao analyzed this as a typical low-cost labor substitution tactic, using “new interns” to circumvent the demands of employees who were about to be converted to regular employees or who were entitled to benefits under the law.
He said, “Once interns have worked in positions for over a year, taking on actual labor responsibilities, it may already constitute a de facto labor relationship. Removing them without signing contracts or paying social security not only poses legal risks but also makes it difficult to fulfill their social responsibilities.”
On June 24, a complaint letter allegedly sent by an anonymous intern circulated online, indicating that the company unilaterally changed the original “two shifts, two days off” system to a “four days on, two days off” schedule and increased the rotation frequency of night shifts, violating Articles 35 and 38 of the Labor Law, concerning unauthorized changes to the content of labor contracts.
The complaint letter called upon the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security to investigate any illegal activities by the company, hold them accountable for not filing for authorization when changing the working hours system, and urged the signing of labor contracts and retroactive payment of social security for interns who had worked for more than six months.
Public records show that Zhejiang Chuanxin Integrated Circuit Co., Ltd. was established in November 2020, located in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City. It is China’s first 12-inch CMOS (55nm process) integrated circuit technology public innovation platform, previously recognized as a specialized and innovative company and a provincial-level technology innovation center.
Despite repeated attempts to contact Zhejiang Chuanxin Integrated Circuit Co., Ltd., the calls went unanswered. The Zhejiang Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security, upon confirming the reporter’s identity, promptly hung up the phone without providing any response.