Payday surprise: Chinese company swaps salaries for gift vouchers instead

A Chinese firm has sparked outrage after paying employees in gift vouchers instead of cash. The move, which offered vouchers for use at select stores, has triggered an investigation

Imagine working for months and instead of getting a paycheck, you’re handed a stack of vouchers, similar to Monopoly money that can only be spent in select stores. Sounds like a futuristic currency scam, right? A Chinese company might have just taken that concept to a whole new level.

 

Recently, employees at Motian Vitality City, a shopping centre in Jilin province of China, were shocked to find that their salary was paid in consumer vouchers instead of cash — triggering an online frenzy.

 

A worker shared on social media that instead of a paycheck, his employer handed out vouchers valued between 10 to 500 yuan (roughly $1.4 to $70). The vouchers, complete with serial numbers like banknotes, were intended to cover expenses at company-owned stores, including discounts on property management fees and even parking spaces, according to a report by the South China Morning Post.

 

Employee salaries paid in vouchers, not cash

“These are the salary amounts for my three months’ hard work,” the employee said. However, the vouchers could only be used in select shops, mainly restaurants and clothing stores, and they didn’t offer change for purchases below the voucher value.

 

The employee revealed that this voucher scheme extended beyond the shopping centre, with other businesses owned by the same parent company, Dazhong Zhuoyue Holding Group, including real estate, property management, and taxi services, also using vouchers as salary. According to an internal company memo, the vouchers could be used for a variety of purposes, such as paying for property management fees, purchasing properties and parking spaces owned by the company, and buying goods at a nearby Motian Vitality City mall—though only until the end of the year.

‘Voucher salary’ sparks outrage, violates labour laws

Staff members of the shopping centre pointed out that these vouchers could only be redeemed at certain restaurants and clothing stores, and there was no option for change if a purchase was less than the value of the voucher. Employees voiced frustration, with many mentioning the heavy financial burdens they face, including mortgages and family expenses.

 

This unusual salary practice has sparked outrage across social media, with some users likening it to a throwback to the days when cigarettes were given as payment. A local human resources agency has confirmed an investigation, while Chinese legal experts argue that the company violated labour laws, which require wages to be paid in cash and stipulate that any changes to employment terms must be agreed upon by employees, the South China Morning Post mentioned.