Photo: VCG

Leading lithium-ion battery manufacturer CATL has sparked heated online discussion for allegedly requiring employees to work particularly long hours.

According to documents circulating online, CATL expects its employees to follow an "896 work system" - namely, working from 8 am to 9 pm and six days a week including Saturdays, Chinese media outlet Jiemian reported on Monday. It's apparently part of a "100 days of hard work" plan.

The alleged requirement has sparked heated discussion online, with most netizens expressing opposition to the company's practice. The Global Times reached out to CATL for comment on Monday night but did not receive a response as of press time.

A representative from CATL told 21st Century Business Herald that the news is a fabrication, and the company has not issued such a regulation.

A source close to CATL told Jiemian that the "100 days of hard work" doesn't apply to all employees.

However, several self-proclaimed CATL employees have confirmed on social media that the "896" work system is indeed being implemented within the company, Jiemian reported.

One employee told Jiemian that the "100 days of hard work" initiative mainly targets employees at the 7th level and above within CATL, and it has already started to be fully implemented.

Some people have already resigned due to this requirement, the employee told Jiemian.

At close of trading on Monday, the stock price of CATL was up 1.79 percent, giving it a total market value of 827.9 billion yuan ($114.10).

Global Times