ON SUNDAY, the news of an employee who had been working for the internet giant Netease for five years, who claimed he was dismissed without any compensation even though he was suffering from a heart disease, went viral on social media. China Daily writer Zhang Zhouxiang comments:

The company has apologized, clarified some of the details, and said it is investigating the matter. Not surprisingly, the incident has aroused fierce discussions on domestic social media networks. Although the debate is not about the incident per se, but on two specific details: the man's five years with the company and his fatal disease.

Many employees who have worked for five or more years with a company are able to put themselves in the man's shoes as they realize they are in a similar position. The fact that so many people discussing the man's dismissal by Netease have compared his situation to their own best reflects how serious the situation is for employees who have worked for five of more years for the same company.

Actually, workers who have worked for the same company for five or more years should be valued by their employers for their expertise and experience. Wise bosses can make good use of this group of employees and let them make contributions with their advantages, instead of simply comparing them with fresh employees who they pay less but who lack the same skills.

Stricter protection is needed for middle-aged workers, so that they do not need to worry so much about their future. The current Labor Law has good protection, but there are still some loopholes that need to be closed. For example, in the above-mentioned case, the employee said he told the human resources department that he would seek arbitration in order to get compensation, but the latter threatened him, saying they had many ways of creating trouble for him. It remains to be seen whether that detail is true, but in reality a company does have the convenience and advantage over its employees when disputes happen. How to better protect workers is still a major challenge.