Dream - An advertising company in China is suspected of employing 'sneaky' tactics to avoid paying severance to its employees. The company is willing to move from the city center to remote mountain areas, so that its employees do not feel comfortable and eventually resign. When employees resign voluntarily instead of being laid off, the company is not required to pay compensation.

To reach the office location takes a travel time of two hours, with limited public transportation access. Chang explained that employees who do not have a vehicle have to rely on a bus that operates every three hours. "Then they have to walk three kilometers through mountain trails to reach the office," said Chang.

However, if using a taxi from the nearest train station, employees must pay a fare of up to 60 yuan or around Rp131 thousand. The company refuses to provide reimbursement for the travel expenses. Chang also highlights the poor quality and unsafe working conditions, as well as inadequate facilities. He states that female workers have to use public toilets in the nearby village, which are quite far away.

"He is also concerned about the safety of employees on their way home in the dark, considering the number of stray dogs in the area that would follow people. Faced with this terrible condition, 14 out of more than 20 employees signed resignation agreements after unsuccessful protests. However, only four days after they left, the company moved back to the city center and actively recruited new staff."

The employees suspect that the company deliberately creates harsh conditions to force them to resign. However, the company representative, Zhang, denies these claims, stating that the relocation is a temporary step to reduce costs. "The rent in the Central Business District is very high, and our new office is currently being renovated. We operate a homestay, so we moved there temporarily for a week," he said.

Zhang said legal action against his employees is being considered because it has tarnished the company's reputation and caused potential business losses. The employees also denied Zhang's claim that the relocation was only for a week. "We were told that the work period in the mountains can be very long, maybe until next year. If it's only a week, who can't endure working conditions like that," said an employee.